The inaugural Fat Boy’s Pizza Eating Championship drew a field of professional and amateur competitors to Fat Boy’s Pizza on Metairie Road Sunday, Aug. 25.
In the competition, eight contestants had 10 minutes to down as many Fat Boy’s two-foot slices of cheese pizza as possible. The challengers included several of the world’s elite competitive eaters: No. 1 ranked Joey Chestnut (often called the “Apex Predator” of professional eating), second-ranked Geoffrey Esper, fourth-ranked Darren Breeden and ninth-ranked Adrian Morgan (a New Orleanian). Members of the New Orleans Gold Rugby team and Jocelyn Walker, the lone female participant, rounded out the field.
In a stunning digestive display, Chestnut dominated the competition, cramming 6.5 slices — 13 feet — of pizza into his mouth before the buzzer. Second place went to Esper, who managed six slices.
“I’m a little dehydrated — I’ve gotta drink some water,” Chestnut said after his victory. “But I feel good.”