At Ben's deli in Baldwin on 1/7/04, Chowhound destroyed last year's personal Matzo Ball eating mark with a whopping 11.5, tying Top ten ranked eater Gentleman Joe Manchetti. He defeated 16th ranked Beautiful Brian Seiken. Don Moses Lehrman came in first with 13.5.

On 1/13/04 in Greenvale, Chowhound returned to Ben's to defend his wild card position. In a closely fought contest, Gentlemen Joe Manchetti edged out the Chowhound finishing with an amazing 15 matzo balls to qualify for the finals. The Chowhound preserved his wild card invitation to the finals by eating 14.5 matzo balls. Finishing in a close 3rd, 16th ranked Beautiful Brian Seikan with 14 matzo balls which will qualify him for the 2nd wild card. Finishing 4th was #29th ranked Scott Soifer. Also competing was #43 ranked Allan "Cookie's Protégé" Goldstein who finished with a respectable 9.5 matzo balls. Special guests at the competition were #3 world ranked, multi-title holders Ed Cookie Jarvis and #4 ranked Eric Badlands Booker. Booker, who automatically qualifies for the "Big Dance" on the 27th of January because he is last years champion, performed an exhibition where he did an amazing 20 Matzo Balls!

Although Chowhound qualified for Ben's Finals he competed in another qualifier in Bayside Queens on 1/15/04. The hound was barely edged out by Matzo Ball Specialist and 29th ranked "Skinny" Scott Soifer, 11 3/4 Balls to Scott's 12 Balls.