eating challenges
(All Nevada eating challenges and contests in database)
Rich LeFevre & Paul Arcaria finish challenges
Rich LeFevre reports in a comment that he successfully completed the 120 ounce steak challenge at the Brand Steakhouse in 40 minutes. The list price of the steak is $267. Video of his attempt will appear on rawvegas.tv.
update Some pictures have been emailed:

Paul “Porkslap” Arcaria has sent the following email: (pictures of his challenge can be seen below)
On sunday [October 11] I went to Thurmans in Columbus, They had a 3 pounder but that wasn’t enough. I had them make me a 4.5 pounder. She said if I finish it I could name it.
Its called “Pauls East Coast Pile”
Erik Denmark’s Nugget rib report
Erik Denmark has a blog entry with pictures about competing in the rib eating contest in Sparks, NV last week. Ron Koch wore an undertaker’s (or Jedi) outfit.
Joey Chestnut threepeats Nugget ribs
Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off rib eating contest results from Jason Erb and anonymous comment
1st: Joey Chestnut 9.8 pounds, new record
2nd: Pat Bertoletti 7.4
3rd: Erik Denmark 4.7
4th: Rich LeFevre 4.6
5th: Ron Koch 3.4
6th: Jason Erb 2.8
7th: Sean Kirby 2.5
8th: El Toro 2.2
update RGJ.com has a contest report
EmilyPie has some pictures
update #2 Full results are now available on IFOCE.com
Nugget Rib expected entrants
A press release lists four expected entrants at tomorrow’s Best in the West Nugget World Rib Eating Championship in Sparks, Nevada: Joey Chestnut, Pat Bertoletti, Rich LeFevre and Erik Denmark.
Pat Bertoletti announces DeepDishEats.com
In his yardbarker blog, Pat Bertoletti announces the opening of his personal website at DeepDishEats.com Bertoletti intends to have recipes and other cooking information on his website in addition to news about his competitive eating career. The contest calendar says that he will compete in the Nugget rib eating contest on Wednesday.
Link Buffet: August 16 2008
- 120 ounce steak at Brand Steakhouse in Las Vegas, free if eaten by one person, $267 otherwise
- San Francisco spam musubi eating contest September 6
- CNBC on the effects of inflation on Michael Phelps’ diet
- Saratoga Nathan’s contest Monday to be 12 minutes?
- Gallery of wing eating contest before Bills – Steelers game in Toronto
- Slots still available for Vancouver, BC Nathan’s non-qualifier Monday. The contest will be 6 minutes.
- 1993 article about Czech dumpling contest.
- Nanticoke, PA pierogi eating contest Sunday.
Nugget rib eating contest August 27
The website for the Nugget Rib Cook-Off has a page about its rib eating contest which lists the date of this year’s contest as August 27. The cook-off will be held at Victorian Square in Sparks, Nevada (Reno area).
The contest is billed as the World Rib Eating Championship and will take place five days after the IFOCE holds another World Rib Eating Championship at the Ash Creek Saloon in Connecticut.
LV and MN qualifier galleries available
Galleries of the recent Nathan’s qualifiers held in Las Vegas and Apple Valley, Minnesota are now available. Captions for the Las Vegas gallery report that Rich LeFevre ate 32 hot dogs and not the 31 in the official report.
The Las Vegas Sun has an article containing a picture of Rich LeFevre and Sarah Jane from one of the galleries. Sarah Jane was the only female competitor and previously auditioned for “American Idol”. Like Ron Koch, she works as a casino photographer. She finished with 8.5 hot dogs, which puts her in the company of 8 females who are known to have broken the 8 HDB mark:
39 Sonya Thomas, 2007, 12 minutes
28 Juliet Lee, 2007, 12 minutes
25 Carlene LeFevre, 2005, 12 minutes
22.25 Takako Akasaka, 2000, 12 minutes
18 Miyuki Iwata, 2004, 12 minutes
12 Melody Andorfer, 1972, 5 minutes
9.5 Birgit Felden, 1984, 10 minutes
8.5 Sarah Jane, 2008, 10 minutes
El Toro & Rich LeFevre on KVBC

The morning show of KVBC.com has a video about El Toro showing him training with watermelon. There is also a video of Rich LeFevre competing in a one minute hot dog eating contest in the sidebar.
Rich LeFevre wins Las Vegas qualifier
Results from an anonymous comment & CE News
1. Rich LeFevre 31 or 32 (10 minute contest instead of 12)
2. Ron Koch 21
3. Andrew McKirdy 14
? El Toro
update Hall Hunt made quite accurate predictions for the qualifier
update #2 The Las Vegas Review has a captioned picture of Ron Koch and El Toro (from the Hangman)
update #3 BeautifulBrian.com has a contest report with some pictures
Beautiful Brian on LeFevre vs. Koch
BeautifulBrian.com has a preview of today’s Nathan’s qualifier focusing on Ron Koch’s comeback to face his rival Rich LeFevre.
The Las Vegas Review Journal also has a short preview which says that LeFevre and Koch will compete. It says nothing about Joey Chestnut.
LV Sun: Joey to do 2008 Vegas qualifier
The Las Vegas Sun reports that Joey Chestnut is expected to compete in the Nathan’s qualifier to be held at the New York, New York Casino in Las Vegas on May 8. Previous defending champions did not need to qualify. Other expected entrants are Rich LeFevre and Ron Koch.
“Battle of the Buffets” viewable online
Video from the Travel Channel’s “Battle of the Buffets”, in which Badlands Booker, Cookie Jarvis and the LeFevres competed can be viewed on the Travel Channel’s website
Vegas buffets add time limits and surcharges
An attendee of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas noticed changes in the casino restaurants offering all you can eat deals:
This year at CES I noticed one little thing that seemed to be a universal change among most of the casinos. The buffet lines around the city have posted signs informing customers that there is now a time limit on dining. (The most extreme case we saw was a 1 hour limit on a Sushi Buffet in the Rio.) They’ve also taken to charging extra for patrons who wish to indulge in the more expensive parts of the repast.
Kobayshi meets The Offspring in Vegas
After attending an Offspring concert in Japan, Kobayashi met up with the group in Las Vegas. He has also posted some pictures from his trip. There is no information about the “Wedges & Wings” contest, spoilers or otherwise.
Steakbellie reports from Chicago & Vegas
Steakbellie has posted writeups of his Chicago jalapeno contest experience and his participation in the “Wedges & Wings” contest (no spoilers)
Kobayshi reports from Las Vegas
In a blog entry from this afternoon, Kobayashi reports that he is still experiencing jaw issues (automatically translated)
As the conference gets near, condition of the jaw had become bad (depending upon training because), to today it had made or the air which it has.
Unless you avoid just the reappearance before the hot dog worldwide conference, that you thought.
Once, somehow the day was received.
When this is proof of growth, it is to be delightful, but you think that luck was good.
It is the jaw which with special care it can have utilizing.
Temporarily, it tries applying to the present tournament.
We should not participate, that the one worrying it is with you think, but it came to here.
Support we ask.
Kobayashi also says that he met with American government officials for an undisclosed purpose.
Steakbellie in Las Vegas
Steakbellie will compete in the “Wedges & Wings” contest in Las Vegas tonight. He verifies that Kobayashi is present. Steakbellie reports that three separate TV specials will be recorded at the same session, which will fulfill the Spike TV contract.
I think this leaves 6 unknown slots in the contest.
“Wedges and Wings” spectator information
Las Vegas Advisor has information about tomorrow’s “Wedges and Wings” contest.
Kobayashi’s blog reports that he got a new hairstyle and is not sure when he will be able to update his blog, so he will probably attend.
STBW says that October will be a “very very light month” CE-wise for Sonya, so she will probably not attend.
Arturo Rios to do Wedges & Wings
The New York Daily News reports that Arturo Rios will compete in the “MLE Chowndown” to be held in Las Vegas Tuesday.
Nugget rib contest video

A video of Wednesday’s rib eating contest at the Nugget casino can be viewed at http://youtube.com/watch?v=5yvUXCOMFIc
(embedded video available after jump)
Read the rest of this entry »
Nugget rib results from Laura Flynn
From a Laura Flynn comment
1. Joey Chestnut (about 7 lb.)
2. Pat Bertoletti (about 6 lb.)
3. Rich LeFevre (lost tooth during contest)
4. Jason Erb
5. Erik Denmark
update rgj.com has an article about the contest.
update #2 full results are now posted on IFOCE.com
Nugget rib expected entrants
(From Rhonda Evans) The press release for the 2nd Annual World Rib Eating Competition says that Joey Chestnut, Pat Bertoletti, Chip Simpson, Rich LeFevre and Erik Denmark. Results will be posted on the Nugget Rib Cookoff’s web page.
Reno Gazette Journal previews Nugget ribs
The Reno Gazette Journal has a preview of the Best in the West Nugget World Eating Championship containing some quotes from Rich LeFevre.
Reno ribs registration opens Monday
The rib eating contest to be held August 29 at the Annual Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off in Sparks, NV is now on the official IFOCE schedule. Registration for that event opens on August 6.

