Upcoming eating contests
eating challenges
(All Connecticut eating challenges and contests in database)
The CT BBQ Fest will hold a bacon eating contest in Clinton, CT on November 10 awarding $500 to the winner. update The festival has been cancelled
The Hartford Courant has an interview with Jamie "Bear" McDonald, who used the prize money from winning the 2013 Wing Bowl to start his barbecue business, which now consists of 6 restaurants. His first experience with competitive eating was the Broken Yolk Iron Man challenge in San Diego.
Joe Menchetti won the first prize of $500 in Saturday's wing eating contest at Arooga's at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.
Arooga's at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT will hold a wing eating contest on March 10 awarding a $150 Visa gift card. The second round on March 17 will award a $500 Visa gift card. Other Arooga's locations will also hold contests; the total amount of prizes on the circuit is listed as $1,300.
Graham Kist ate 50 latkes in 20 minutes to win an eating contest held last night at The Crown Market in West Hartford, CT.
Newtown Bee has a report on the "Celebration of Kindness and day of remembrance" held in Newtown, CT on October 27 to honor Caitlin Nelson, who passed away after choking in a pancake eating contest held at Sacred Heart University in March.
The Hartford Courant has an article about Jamie McDonald's trip to Florida to serve barbecue from his restaurant, Bear's Smokehouse, to Hurricane Irma victims. His team is operating at Germain Arena in Estero, FL, site of a Nathan's qualifier earlier this year. McDonald estimates his organization, operationbbqrelief.org, has served 50,000 meals since arriving in Florida.
Jamie "The Bear" McDonald will compete in a hot dog eating contest at GoldBurgers in Hartford, CT on August 24.
The Connecticut Taco Festival will hold a taco eating contest in Danbury, CT on August 26 awarding $1000 to the winner. Registration is available for $40 today (usual fee $100).
Joe Menchetti edged out Dave Brunelli yesterday at Zoi's Pizza contest in Seymour, CT to win the event for the third year in a row an claim the first prize of $1500.
Choking in college pancake contest results in fatality
update April 10 The New York Post has an article about the funeral | Video about funeral
update April 6 A funeral mass will be held Saturday in Westfield, NJ. The official autopsy lists the cause of death as accidental asphyxia.
update April 5 InsideEdition has an interview with Fairfield Police Sgt. Mike Paris who says “Her mouth was compacted with pancakes, almost to her teeth.” (video)
The Fairfield Daily Voice reports that a college student who was hospitalizated aftter choking in a pancake eating contest at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT on Thursday passed away. The University held a vigil yesterday in her memory. update CTPost and TapInto have articles giving the name of the deceased as Caitlin Nelson from Clark, NJ. Her father, James Nelson, was a Port Authority police officer who passed away when the World Trade Center collapsed on September 11, 2001. update #2 The New York Post has an article reporting that Caitlin Nelson’s allergies were not a factor in the incident.
A female student at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT was hospitalized yesterday after choking in a pancake eating contest held at a Greek Life dinner yesterday night. She is currently in stable but critical condition.
A podcast recorded at last week's BBQ eating contest held at Bear's BBQ in Hartford is available on youtube. MMA fighter Chael Sonnen and partner Brian Nichols combined to eat 4.7 pounds, which surpassed the 4.5 pounds eaten by restaurant owner Jamie McDonald. Will Millender offered advice to the winners and appears around the 32 minute mark of the podcast. (video recorded by Will Millender).
Jamie McDonald appeared on Chael Sonnen's podcast to discuss facing off against the MMA fighter in an eating contest at Bear's Smokehouse in Hartford on December 29. (competitive eating segment starts around 43 minutes). Spectators are welcome and there is no admission charge. The on how Bear's Smokehouse has raised the wage to at least $15 for most employees.
In his latest podcast (competitive eating section starts at 17:00), MMA fighter Chael Sonnen announces that he will face Jamie McDonald in an eating contest at Bear's Smokehouse in Hartford on December 29.
Foxwoods announces it will not hold a MLE turkey eating contest in 2016. This reduces the number of MLE contests awarding $10,000 or more in 2016 to 2 (Nathan's & Hooters wings), half of the number in 2015. The 2015 Arizona Sports Expo wing eating contest awarding $10,000 was not brought back.
The team of Wayne Algenio, Dave Brunelli and Dave Wood won the first prize of $1500 in today's pizza eating contest at Zoi's Pizza in Seymour, CT. update April 22 WPLR has a gallery
Eastern Connecticut State Student Nicole Coughlin wrote a column for Odyssey titled "Confessions of a Girl Who Loves Food" celebrating her eating ability.
Zoi's in Seymour, CT will hold a pizza eating contest for 3 person teams on April 19. According to Stephanie Wu, the purse will be $2500 ($1500 to winning trio). Teams must raise at least $300 to compete.
Brandon "Feast Mode" Carr won this morning's paczki eating contest at Eddy's Bakery in Ansonia, CT. Defending champion Manny Cambra was runner up.
Eddy's Bakery in Ansonia, CT will hold a paczki eating contest on February 9 awarding $200 ($150 to the winner).
CT Mirror reports Connecticut governor Dan Malloy visited Bear's Smokehouse in Hartford to promote owner Jamie McDonald's policy of hiring ex-offenders for his restaurant.
Miki Sudo upsets Joey Chestnut at Foxwoods Turkey
update Videos: snapchat | Doug Schwartz
Update The Norwich Bulletin has an article and gallery
Official results Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
| 1st | 8.8 | Miki Sudo | 1st win vs Chestnut or Stonie since 2013 |
| 2nd | 8.4 | Joey “Jaws” Chestnut | 2nd non-Stonie loss of year (Morgan @ Native Wings) |
| 3rd | 5.7 | Geoffrey Esper | |
| 4th | 5.4 | Michelle “Cardboard Shell” Lesco | |
| 5th | 5.2 | Gideon Oji | |
| 6th | 5 | Yasir Salem | |
| 7th | 4.8 | Juan “more bite” Rodriguez | |
| 8th | 4.6 | Eric “Badlands” Booker | |
| 9th | 4.3 | Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas | |
| 10th | 3.2 | Daniella Gioia | |
| 11th | 2.8 | William “Wild Bill” Myers | |
| 12th | 2.4 | Crazy Legs Conti | |
| 13th | 1.2 | Brian Woodard | |
| 14th | 1 | DJ Douglas |
update Adam Benson reports that Miki Sudo has upset Joey Chestnut
Joey Chestnut appeared on Fox 61 yesterday and said he had a upcoming lobster eating contest which has yet to be added to the MLE calendar.
Winners of previous IFOCE/MLE turkey contests
| 2014 Nov 22 | 1st | 9.35 | 10 min | Joey “Jaws” Chestnut | Foxwoods World Turkey-Eating Championship | Mashantucket, CT |
| 2011 Nov 22 | 1st | 5.25 | 10 min | Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas | Wild Turkey 81 Eating World Championship | Manhattan, NY |
| 2007 Oct 10 | 1st | 6.91 | 8 min | Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti | MLE Chowdown – whole turkeys | Las Vegas, NV |
| 2006 Nov 22 | 1st | 4.8 | 12 min | Pat “Deep Dish” Bertoletti | Axia 3 Thanksgiving Invitational | Manhattan, NY |
| 2005 Nov 23 | 1st | 4.19 | 12 min | Sonya “The Black Widow” Thomas | GoldenPalace.com Thanksgiving Invitational | Manhattan, NY |
The Norwich Bulletin has an interview with Joey Chestnut about defending his turkey title Saturday at Foxwoods Casino. He is hoping for a 2016 comeback after a "rough year" and thinks competing against women is "unfair" since their bodies are built for expansion. Joey also offered six tips to Gear Patrol in maximizing Thanksgiving food consumption.
A press release announces that Joey Chestnut, Miki Sudo, Michelle Lesco, Badlands Booker, Yasir Salem, Gideon Oji and Crazy Legs Conti are expected to compete in the turkey eating contest at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Mashantucket, CT on November 21. If Matt Stonie misses the contest, he will have a 365+ day winning streak, since his most recent defeat came at last year's turkey eating contest.
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