On May 16th, 2009, the hungriest competitive eaters on the planet will gather for the Niko Niko’s World Gyro Eating Championship. Niko Niko’s, with its esteemed menu of succulent Greek and American fare, has offered $4,000 in prize money in an effort to attract top-flight competitive eaters and lovers of Greek culture to the 14th Annual Festival of Greece.
The contest will feature the two best gurgitators in the world, who have been battling each other cheek-to-cheek, jowl-to-jowl in recent months. Top-seeded Joey “Jaws” Chestnut , the 2007 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Champion, recently edged out nd-ranked Patrick “Deep Dish” Bertoletti at a deep-fried asparagus eating contest in California. Bertoletti is a mohawked chef from Chicago whose feats include 21 pounds of grits in 10 minutes and 16 pounds of strawberry shortcake in 8 minutes. Nipping at their heels will be 5th-ranked “Humble” Bob Shoudt and 12th-ranked Erik “The Red” Denmark, of Seattle, will also battle for the $4,000 prize purse.
“Niko Niko’s and the Festival of Greece are proud to sponsor this attempt to establish a first-ever world record in gyro-eating,” said Dimitri Fetokakis, owner of Niko Niko’s. “Some competitors have expressed concern that the delicious flavor will slow them down, but we’re confident that the winning total will be jaw-dropping.”
The World Gyro Eating Championship is part of the Festival of Greece. Dimitri Fetokakis, owner of Niko Niko's Greek American Restaurant & his family, have been long time supporters of the festival. The Festival of Greece, now celebrating its 14th anniversary, is a 4-day event featuring the finest homemade Greek food & deserts, Greek wine & beer, Greek folk dancing, Greek shops, vendor booths, children's food & large play area. Part of the proceeds of the festival are donated to local charities.
Major League Eating (MLE), the world governing body of all stomach-centric sports, conducts more than 70 events annually, including the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, N.Y. The competitive eating community, which numbers more than 8,000 veteran and rookie athletes, travels the nation in search of top titles and the glory that they provide.
