Hong Kong’s International Burger Eating Competition draws competitive eaters and their fans to Wan Chai fast food restaurant
Contestants at Wan Chai restaurant put their stomachs to the test to see who could finish the eight-patty burger or plate of spicy hot wings the fastest
The heat was on at Wan Chai fast food restaurant Burger Joys’ speed-eating contest. Sweating spectators blocked foot traffic outside the tiny burger bar on Lockhart Road as contestants wolfed down saucy hot wings and gigantic grease-laden burgers in the hope of winning a cash prize and bragging rights.
Twenty-four contestants were selected from hundreds of applicants to take part in one of two challenges: eating the most hot wings in four minutes, and racing to demolish an eight patty, 1,800-calorie burger, complete with oozing cheese and all the trimmings.
Techniques varied widely during the chicken challenge: some chose to simply gnaw the meat off the bone, while others pulled the flesh away before rolling it into a ball and stuffing it into their mouths.
In the end, it came down to raw chewing power and good preparation. Vlogger Justin Chan, who was crowned victor after scoffing 22 wings, said he had been training for weeks.
“Every day I drank and ate increasing amounts of food and water so my stomach could expand. I’d eat so much that I’d pass out sweating,” he said.
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“My technique was putting the wing width-ways into my mouth and pulling the two bones apart while tearing all the meat off. I slowed down in the last 45 seconds but just concentrated on putting the meat in my mouth and letting it slide down my throat. I wanted to get it down to six seconds a wing.”