Ed Currie is an American chili pepper breeder and entrepreneur, best known for creating the Carolina Reaper, which has held the title of the world's hottest pepper according to the Guinness World Records. He operates the PuckerButt Pepper Company in South Carolina, where he cultivates various hot pepper varieties. Currie's passion for peppers began in the 1980s, and he has dedicated his career to developing new and extreme chili pepper strains. His work has contributed to the growing popularity of hot peppers in culinary dishes and spicy foods around the world.