Compete and eat
BRIAN STEINBERG
Food Editor
THE WASHTENAW VOICE
James Highsmith of The Washtenaw Voice takes on another slice of pizza at Bella Italia in Ann Arbor.
Nick Gavizi of Ann Arbor beat James Rocker’s record for the most patties eaten at Ann Arbor’s Blimpy Burger.
He downed 43 patties, which came to 4.3 pounds of meat alone — not including the buns, cheese and toppings.
“Man v. Food” host Adam Richman, of the Travel Channel, tackled Tios Mexican Café’s legendary Mount Nacheesmo, a five-pound plate of nachos.
And Bella Italia of Ann Arbor offers its 30-inch pizza challenge, pitting its nine-pound monster against three hungry eaters.
Competitive eating has grown in popularity as the result of shows like “Man v. Food.” These fun contests are a whimsical part of the American food culture and competitive spirit.
Many local restaurants offer these challenges, which can make them a possible tourist destination for competitive eaters — and a source of local pride and lore.
There are also stand-alone competitive food events that are sponsored by organizations like Major League Competitive Eating (MLCE). MLCE oversees about 80 food challenges annually, with some featured on sports channels like ESPN.
