Chestnut to Defend St. Elmo Crown
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowMajor League Eating will return to Indianapolis as part of the 2014 Big Ten Football Championship Game weekend. The St. Elmo Shrimp Cocktail Eating Championship will feature Joey Chestnut, who ate 9.2 pounds of shrimp in eight minutes last year.
November 10, 2014
News Release
Indianapolis, Ind. — World-champion Joey Chestnut and other top Major League Eaters (MLE) will compete during the World Famous St. Elmo Shrimp Cocktail Eating Championship on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014 at 3 p.m. The event will take place at the Meijer Tail Greater Party on Georgia Street as part of the 2014 Big Ten Football Championship Game weekend.
This year will be a challenge for Chestnut as other top eaters compete for the title of Shrimp Cocktail-Eating Champion of the World in addition to a $2,000 prize purse. The current list of competitors includes:
• No. 1 ranked Joey Chestnut from San Jose, Calif.
• No. 12 ranked Yasir Salem from New York
• No. 31 ranked Andrew Kogutkiewicz from Racine, Wis.
• No. 46 ranked Tracy Goode from Anderson, Ind.
During last year's inaugural event, Chestnut consumed 105 shrimp or 9.2 pounds in eight minutes, earning him the shrimp cocktail-eating championship title and a world record.
“Last year's competition was an incredible experience with Joey packing down 22 orders of our world famous shrimp cocktail in that short amount of time,” said Craig Huse, co-proprietor of St. Elmo Steak House. “We're looking forward to a new record this year with Joey hopefully hitting the 10 pound mark.”
Eaters will again have eight minutes to consume as much shrimp cocktail as possible. However, competitors may be tempted to slow down due to the fiery, horseradish-laden heat packed in St. Elmo's legendary cocktail sauce, which was deemed the world's spiciest food by a Travel Channel writer. Since 1902, the legendary appetizer has collected a legion of well-known fans including Neil Patrick Harris, Tony Dungy and comedian Jimmy Fallon.
“Shrimp cocktail is the food of kings, or at least it should be, because it is incredibly delicious,” said George Shea, MLE chairman. “The wild card on this event is the outrageously spicy cocktail sauce, which will slow the less committed competitors.”
About The Big Ten Football Championship Game:
The fourth annual Big Ten Football Championship Game will be played on Saturday, December 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. The game will be broadcast nationally on FOX with kickoff set for 8:17 P.M. ET. The 2014 season marks the beginning of a new era in Big Ten football, with the addition of Maryland and Rutgers and new divisions. The winner of the East and West Divisions will meet in the Big Ten Football Championship Game, with the victor earning the Big Ten Championship and a chance to play in one of the six bowls that comprise the College Football Playoff, including the Rose Bowl Game. Wisconsin won the first two championship games in 2011 and 2012 before Michigan State claimed the title last season in front of a record crowd of more than 66,000 fans.
About St. Elmo Steak House
Since 1902, St. Elmo Steak House has offered guests perfectly aged steaks, tender pork chops, superb guest service and its world famous St. Elmo Shrimp Cocktail®. For many first-time, unsuspecting guests who order the notorious sinus clearing dish, the “head rush” of horseradish is an unforgettable experience. St. Elmo is an independent restaurant in Indianapolis and is only open for dinner. Sister restaurant, Harry & Izzy's, shares the same world-class service and some of the same classic dishes including the St. Elmo Shrimp Cocktail. For more information, visit StElmos.com.
About Indiana Sports Corp
Indiana Sports Corp's mission is to create positive impact by hosting world-class sporting events that enhance vibrancy in the community, build civic pride, drive economic impact and media exposure, and encourage opportunities for youth. A not-for-profit organization, Indiana Sports Corp was founded in 1979 as the nation's first sports commission. Our recent and upcoming schedule of events includes NCAA Men's and Women's Final Fours, Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, Big Ten Football Championship Games through 2021, Big Ten Basketball Tournaments, 2015 P&G Gymnastics Championships, 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Diving, and much more. For more information, visit www.IndianaSportsCorp.org. Follow on Twitter at @IndSportsCorp.
About Major League Eating
Major League Eating (MLE), the World governing body of all stomach-centric sports, conducts more than 80 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 World in search of top titles and the glory that they provide. For more information, visit www.majorleagueeating.com or follow us on Twitter @eatingcontest.
Source: St. Elmo Steak House