AmazingStace reports that last night’s episode of Bizarre Foods on the Travel Channel featured the cuisine of the Gulf Coast. An oyster eating contest at Wintzell’s Oyster House in Mobile, AL appeared in one of the segments. The winner ate 430 oysters in an hour. I will try to catch the episode if it reruns.

PermalinkComments

The New Haven independent has an article about the vegan cupcake eating contest in New Haven, CT to promote the release of the cookbook by Little Vegan Monsters. The writer did not stay long enough to did not stay long enough to report who won the finals. Picnic style rules were not required:

And the ground rules were serious. You could eat your cupcake straight, you could dip it in water or soy milk, you could sip water before or after each cupcake. Or you could pour soy milk or water over your cupcake before consumption, which everyone agreed was completely disgusting.

Chron.com reports that Joe Mitchell, 32, from Spring Branch won Saturday night’s big Hot Dog Eating Contest at Sam Houston Race Park by eating 9 1/2 Hebrew National hot dogs in 10 minutes, winning a prize of $95.

PermalinkComments

Roland Liwag of CBS Sportsline Spin has posted his report from the Nathan’s qualifier held at Sunrise, FL where he managed 4.5 HDB. Some notes from that writeup:

Nerves + hot dogs + OCS + craptastic weather = Last place.

Forget what your mom told you. Chewing your food in competitive eating contests is similar to running the 100-meter dash while wearing a ball and chain.

Even though Chip Simpson broke the Florida record by eating 39¼ hot dogs, it pales in comparison to Kobyashi’s mark of 53¾ by 14½ hot dogs!

My experience Saturday more than confirmed competitive eating as a legitimate fringe sport. Congratulations, Chip, and represent Florida well at Coney Island.

PermalinkComments (1)

The “Stuff Yo’ Face” Hot Dog Eating Contest to be held at Penn State on April 29 will have both individual and team events. The contest page describes the prize for the individual contest:

Each person will be competing to qualify for an official Nathan’s sponsored event to qualify for the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest this July 2007. We will have a representative from Nathan’s coordinating this category to make sure the rules and regulations are in cooperation with Nathan’s.

PermalinkComments (1)

A letter to the editor critical of the hot dog eating contest at the University of Mary Washington won by Sonya Thomas appears in today’s edition of the Fredricksburg Free Lance Star.

PermalinkComments (4)

ctnow.com has an article about a qualifier for a team bar bite (mini-hamburger) relay contest called “Munch Madness”. The finals for that contest will be held on March 29. The author is apparently unaware of Tim Janus’ victories in the East Hartford Nathan’s qualifiers:

It’s what draws the masses to New York for Nathan’s Famous hot dog competition. It’s what’s helped build Philadelphia’s Wing Bowl from a local radio station stunt to an international event. Maybe Hartford will find itself on the competitive eating map with Munch Madness.

“At this point, I don’t see why not,” says Kienle, who deems the event a big hit for its first year. “If we become known as the place in the state to get little hamburgers, even better for us.

PermalinkComments

A blog about the Moonpie Madness contest to be held at Virginia Commonwealth Univerisity has been set up at http://moonpiemadnessdave.blogspot.com/. The blogger describes the event:

MoonPie Madness stands to be the largest MoonPie eating contest to ever be held. Ever. At VCU at least. But for the record, we haven’t heard of any other eating contests to have over 64 people competiting on the same day, and we’re estimating to have at least 84 “gurgataters” so I’d say we’re safe in making that claim. 84 gurgataters! MoonPies!?! How’s this all going down? Well, here’s the deal:

There’s 2 competitions going on the sacred day of April 1st. An exhibition (a classic eating contest where everyone has 5 minutes to out eat each other, and try to break the unofficial record of 15 in 5 minutes), and as I like to call it, The Grand Tourney” (a March Madness themed eating contest where 64 students will go through 6 – 2 minute rounds and work their way through the bracket.)

I think some Japanese contests have had more than 84 entrants, but I am not aware of any US contests with that large a field. The contest is restricted to VCU students only.

PermalinkComments (1)

From an email from Brian Seiken:

unofficial results and winner from the stadium arena PR firm Chip Simpson wins with 39

PermalinkComments (19)

The Nathan’s qualifier predictions are now closed since the Sunrise, FL qualifier is scheduled to begin in a few minutes. Thank you for voting.

PermalinkComments

The University of South Carolina has an article about restaurants in the Columbia, SC area that have eating challenges or contests. The article describes an attempt to break The Whig’s 40 taco record held by Joseph Tolbert:

Self-proclaimed taco-lover Patti Carson aspires to surpass Tolbert’s record some day.

“I’m positive that I have a chance,” 28-year-old Carson said.

She gave it a try earlier this year and managed to eat 24 tacos, 16 shy of Tolbert’s record.

She said she had trained by eating loads of hamburgers, cheeseburgers and eggplant parmesan the week before her attempt. She even created jerseys and foam fingers for her friends reading “Team Taco,” and crafted a homemade taco-shaped hat for herself. She is commonly referred to at The Whig as the “Taco Mascot.”

PermalinkComments

Roland Liwag, a writer for CBS sportsline.com, wrote an article about competing in the Nathan’s qualifier in Sunrise, Florida tomorrow:

The best way to answer your own questions is to experience them first hand. That’s why this summer, SPiN will attempt to participate in as many fringe sports as possible. What better way to start things off than participate in a competitive eating contest?

Saturday afternoon, I will join a group of “junior varsity” and veteran competitive eaters in the 2007 Hot Dog Circuit — a series of 13 qualifying contests held across the country that will determine who will compete in the annual Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, N.Y. on the Fourth of July.

The object? Attempt to eat as many hot dogs one can stomach in 12 minutes. I think I’m in trouble. While I can hold my own at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, all-you-can-eat buffets and family picnics, I have OCS — Only Child Syndrome.

PermalinkComments (1)

FloridaPanthers.com has a page about the Nathan’s qualifier to be held tomorrow:

The event begins at 6 p.m. with the Kids Neat Eating Contest, which will be immediately followed by the Adult Competitive Eating Contest at 6:30 p.m. Face-off for the Panthers-Devils game is set for 7:30 p.m.

PermalinkComments (10)

(From BrooklynRecord.com) The New York Daily News reports that a gefilte fish eating contest held in Brooklyn has a new champion:

Sanchez, 21, chomped his way through 3-1/2 pounds of gefilte fish to take the top prize in a recent eating contest – leaving his Jewish competitors in the dust.

“I never had it before today,” he said. “I like it. I like all food, though. I like to eat.”

Courier Life and a kosher restaurant message board have previews of the contest, which state the first place prize was a trip for two to the Czech republic.

PermalinkComments (4)

pressconnects.com has some information about the pancake eating contest to be held at the Central New York Maple Festival in Marathon, NY on Saturday:

The 11th annual Pancake Eating Contest, billed as a “‘Fun’ Raiser with Sweet Profits,” will start at 9 a.m. sharp Saturday in the Marathon High School auditorium. A field of 10 — one woman and nine men — is competing for the title; non-profit organizations solicited pledges per pancake for their “eater.”

The record holder, Joe LaRue of Florida, is coming back to defend his title and perhaps best his record of 30 pancakes. Joe stands 6 feet 8 inches and really knows how to put those pancakes down. This year, he will be eating pancakes for the Peck Memorial Library in Marathon, which is seeking funds for a major renovation and restoration projects.

PermalinkComments (18)

Some videos from January’s Pretzel Twister contest can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=pretzeltwist

PermalinkComments

nyc.metblogs.com has a report about the undercard of Vending Machine Challenge II, won by amNY and gizmodo has a blog entry with a video about the second contest, won by Pocket Change. The blogger from metblogs only covered the first contest because s/he left between contests:

To be fair, I left before the main event, so bored and annoyed was I. It could have taken a turn for the awesome, but I doubt it. Also, I should mention how incredibly sweet the organizers were. There was a mix-up with my tickets (which happened to be totally my fault), but the long and short of it was that they let me in with very little proof that I’d actually paid. It’s a rare occurrence for people to be so kind. Finally, the booze was free (or came with the cost a $22 ticket, but I drank my money’s worth). Okay so, all in all, it wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t awesome, and it should have been.

update lvhrd.org and nymag.com have recaps of the evening. Lance Bass (NSYNC) and Jaime Lynn-DiScala (Meadow Soprano) were in attendance.

PermalinkComments

(Thanks Liz K) Pat Michels has a report about the rattlesnake meat eating contest in Sweetwater, Texas. He also has an article about competitive eating from 2003 focusing on Chicago eater Shawn Quaid and his own participation in a cheesesteak eating contest. There are two articles available about Shawn Quaid’s career, one from a 2001 oyster eating sprint and another from a 2003 Frank’s Red Hot wing eating contest.

PermalinkComments

As mentioned by megamunch, mediabistro.com reports that LVHRDs Vending Machine Challenge II will take place tonight. Teams from The Onion, MoMA, amNY and Pocket Change will attempt to consume the contents of an entire vending machine. Tickets are $22 (?) and the location has yet to be disclosed.

PermalinkComments (2)

Jim Driscoll attended the Saint Patrick’s Day Chowdown and wrote a blog entry about it and filmed a video of the final contest between Patrick Bertoletti and Joey Chestnut.

PermalinkComments (1)

estockton.com has a preview of next month’s Asparagus Festival in Stockton, CA

The now-established and nationally-acclaimed Deep-Fried Asparagus Eating Competition will return for its fourth straight year, produced by the International Federation of Competitive Eaters and sponsored by Washington Mutual. IFOCE champs will compete against others for the asparagus title at 12 noon Saturday at the main stage at Weber Point. This year’s contest promises to be especially competitive with two-time winner Joey Chestnut returning to defend his title.

PermalinkComments (2)

Steve DePino photographed the Eat the Meat wing eating competition held in New Haven, CT Saint Patrick’s Day and placed his pictures in a slideshow. Apparently Joe Menchetti did not compete (the winner wore a bird costume), nor does he appear in the finalists list, so he might have been banned for being a professional.

PermalinkComments

From AICE News:

1. Tom Goose Gilbert, 38.00 Meatballs
2. Bob “Killer” Kuhns 31.75
3. Pat “Dr. Delicious” Bruss 31.50
4. Ian “The Invader” Hickman 25.75
5. Mark “The Human Vacuum” Lyle 23.50
6. Johnny “The Human Garbage Disposal” Castillo 22.0

The northeastern snowstorm must have interfered with Joe Menchetti’s travel plans 😉

From the commentary about these results:

“The Goose” has established himself as America’s #1 Competitive Eater and should be given strong consideration as the World’s Best Food Warrior. AICE Chairman, Arnie “Chowhound” Chapman who emceed the event stated that, ” Gilbert is the best competitive Eater in the World……….why else would Takeru Kobayashi and Joey Chesnut refuse to compete against the “Green Beret of Grub” . Also, states Chapman, “AICE has now established itself as the best group of Food Warriors on the planet Earth, and you can hear the grumbling of fear in the stomachs of our competitors…”

PermalinkComments (15)

Shawn Allison has a flickr gallery of the Savannah Saint Patrick’s Day festivities which includes a lot of pictures of the Chowdown.

There has not been many articles about day 2 of the Chowdown. This entry from a San Jose Mercury blog about Joey Chestnut is the only news coverage I have been able to find.

PermalinkComments (1)

(Thanks Liz K) Patrick Michels has some great pictures from contests in Texas and Oklahoma, including last weekend’s rattlesnake meat eating contest, on his home page and flickr gallery.

PermalinkComments

The Saint Patrick’s Day Chowdown will rerun at 2pm eastern tomorrow on Spike. A 15 second commercial for that showing with Sonya Thomas and Tim “Eater X” Janus can be seen at sonyajanusstpatspromo.wmv (.7 MB)

PermalinkComments (2)