No room for dessert; Competitive eaters down record amounts of cookies, back bacon at casino contest
By JOHN ROBBINS- the Niagra Falls Review
Monday, November 20, 2006 - 02:00
Local News - It's not the kind of event that requires a lot of courage.
But nobody ever called these guys and gals gutless.
For the second year in a row, Casino Niagara played host to the Eat Your Face Off contest Saturday -
another lip-lashing, bowel-bending event sanctioned by the U.S.-based Association of Independent Competitive Eaters.
About two dozen contestants - some "professional" eaters, others just amateurs looking for a free lunch - squared off to
see who could down the most food in the least amount of time.
There were two categories, both of them new to competitive eating circles: Canadian Back Bacon on a Bun and Milk and Cookies.
The amateurs and professionals competed separately in each of the two categories.
The event, held inside the casino's Corona Bar, was overseen by the chairman of the AICE himself, a colourful character named
Arnie "Chowhound" Chapman.
Sounding a bit like a professional wrestler, Chapman used a microphone to summon the event's spectators from the floor of
the casino each time a new crew of eaters bellied up to the table.
Competitors in the first two rounds had to down as many chocolate and vanilla sandwich cookies as they could along with one
litre of milk. In the final two rounds, entrants had seven minutes to eat as many 6 oz. Canadian back bacon sandwiches as possible,
using only water as a lubricant for their parched pallets.
Vomiting was grounds for automatic disqualification.
In the professional cookies and milk class, 25-year-old competitive eater Tom "Goose" Gilbert managed to pack away 80 cookies.
But when it was discovered he hadn't finished the full one litre of milk, the title was handed to "King" George Van Laar, who walked away
with a cheque for $800 after easily downing the milk and 59 cookies.
Gilbert was disappointed by the disqualification decision, but the lanky, 198-pound Hadley, Mass. man didn't have to wait long to vindicate himself.
Gilbert ate 711/42 sandwiches to take the first world title in the professional Canadian Back Bacon and Bun category.
Gilbert only began his competitive eating career in July. He competed in all-you-can-eat events featuring Italian sausages, hard-boiled eggs and chicken wings, before coming to Niagara Falls for the "Eat Your Face Off" event.
He said the key to eating so much all at once without getting sick is to keep your eyes off your food.
"There's really no secret," said Gilbert. "Just lots of practice."
Chapman said he was pretty impressed by Gilbert's showing in both classes, given he has only been on the competitive eating circuit for such a short time.
"I think he (Gilbert) has endless talent," said Chapman, who wears a Charlie Brown-style hat and looks a lot like Quint, the salty shark hunter from the movie "Jaws."
Chapman said he felt bad that Gilbert was disqualified in the earlier round, but rules are rules.
"He should have taken his grandmother's advice and learned to drink his milk," Chapman said laughing.
The next big event for professionals like Gilbert is the second Annual National Potato Latke Eating Competition, to be held Dec. 10, in Lake Grove, N.Y.
More information about the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters can be found at www.competitiveeaters.com