NJ Tomato Festival Pizza Eating Championship

I'm entered as a STANDBY contestant in the New Jersey Tomato Festival Pizza Eating Championship on Sunday, August 21 @ 1pm. It is being held at the Wiggins Park River Stage on the Camden Waterfront next to the Battleship New Jersey and the Adventure Aquarium in Camden, NJ.

This is the inaugural contest. It is an internationally sanctioned event by the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE). There is $1,000 in cash and prizes.

Maybe I'll get lucky and another contestant will fail to appear. I'm doing this as much for the journalistic opportunity (I am writing about the experience)as the chance to put away some excellent pizza. Right now, I don't know for sure who is supplying the pizza, but there are rumors that it will be a boardwalk shop from somewhere along the Jersey shore.

Good luck I hope you get in..... alot of pizza.

Geez - if you were a "definite" I'd be really torn between seeing you do this and the New Paltz Ribfest....take pictures!! I can't wait to hear this story....

Thanks, you two. We'll see what happens. I'm also doing some background work and investigating an idea of mine I've had for some time.
The idea: a cheesesteak eating competition. There's interest from a few parties in doing an inaugural 3C (Cheesesteak Consumption Competition).

Hopefully it will be Maruca's. Good luck.

<<I'm also doing some background work and investigating an idea of mine I've had for some time.
The idea: a cheesesteak eating competition. There's interest from a few parties in doing an inaugural 3C (Cheesesteak Consumption Competition).>>

Isn't there already a cheeseteak eating competition in Philadelphia?
Something to do with Superbowl sunday. I seem to recall reading that it's a big deal there.

CheeseWit, If you're still interested in entering a pizza eating contest you should consider entering Boston's Best Pizza's Contest. It will be held Sunday September 25 in Quincy MA. Registration has only just begun so you can still register. Good Luck! www.bostonsbestpizza.com

A couple of reasons for this post. In Philly we have a Wing Bowl which is held on the Friday of Super Bowl weekend and yes, it's a big deal. The Wachovia Center is filled to capacity (20,000) by 6am.

I decided against showing up as a standby contestant in the pizza eating contest. I had a practice round where I ate a large thin crust pie in 4 minutes. I was measuring myself against Ed "Cookie" Jarvis who scarfed a large pie in 3 minutes in 2001. My time was ok, it was the bad heartburn afterwards that gave me reason for pause.

The championship in Camden, NJ was won by the above named Ed Jarvis. The contest was the most NY style thin crust pizza eaten in 10 minutes. He won $1,000. for eating two large pies and 2 slices. Second place went to a guy who ate 2 pies, and third place went to a guy who ate one and a half pizzas. I think I would've placed there.

I probably won't be entering any competitive eating contests. But I do have support from outside parties for a cheesesteak eating contest that I'd like to host.

quote:

Originally posted by CheeseWit

Thanks, you two. We'll see what happens. I'm also doing some background work and investigating an idea of mine I've had for some time.
The idea: a cheesesteak eating competition. There's interest from a few parties in doing an inaugural 3C (Cheesesteak Consumption Competition).

1st prize should be a Lifecor wearable heart defibrillator... But seriously, sounds like a fun challenge! Hope it works out!