Day-Lee Foods World Gyoza Eating Championship

JOEY "JAWS" CHESTNUT SETS NEW WORLD RECORD AT THE 6TH ANNUAL DAY-LEE FOODS WORLD GYOZA EATING CHAMPIONSHIP!

When the clock read 0:00, there was one man whose honor appeared unbruised. That man was Joey "Jaws" Chestnut and the official results would explain why: 266 Day-Lee Foods gyoza eaten in 10 minutes. A new world record—and another scalp for the greatest eater who has ever lived!

Chestnut forged ahead from minute three and never looked back, his mind and body recalling countless victories from his long and lustrous eating career. As the minutes passed, the gyoza disappeared in a cascading rain of pure capacity-eating brilliance.

The race for second, however, was a much closer affair. Last year's winner—and world-record holder heading into today's contest—Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti finished behind Matt "The Megatoad" Stonie, 234 to 233. One gyoza. An eternity of distance. The judge's two-gyoza deduction for debris cost Bertoletti at the end; in post-contest comments, Bertoletti deemed the deductions "fair." Stonie commented that he would forever eat clean at the MLE table, lest he suffer a similar fate to the one that befell Bertoletti today. Stonie took to social media platforms following the contest to thank the Gyoza Gods for his performance. And well he should have.

Brave performances filled out the money positions, with Juan "More Bite" Rodriguez's sixth-place finish noted by eating community insiders. He is, they say, one to watch.

Before the contest, and in accordance with Nisei Week tradition, an auction was held to determine the final available position at the table. The winner was Australian flight attendant Crescenzo Rillo, a gentlemen who had cut his teeth in the vigorous Adelaide, South Australia pasta-eating scene. And the winning bid? After a tense battle: $400 real American dollars! (Last year's winning bid: $60.) The beneficiary of Mr Rillo's largess is Nisei Week 2013. The Nisei Week faithful extended their thanks to Mr Rillo in the form of appreciative applause. His kindness and decency proved greater than his capacity, however: He ate a noble 51 in defeat.

Full Results 1) Joey "Jaws" Chestnut 266, new World Record 2) Matt "The Megatoad" Stonie 234 3) Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti 233 4) Adrian "The Rabbit" Morgan 168 5) "The Lovely" Juliet Lee 157 6) Juan "More Bite" Rodriguez 146 7) Michelle "Cardboard Shell" Lesco 131 8) Kevin “LA Beast” Strahle 122 9) Steve Hendry 101 10) Dax “The Ginger” Swanson 85 11) Naoyuki Kamiya 65 12) Doug Ecks 64 13) Toshiki Otani 51 13) Crescenzo Rillo 51 15) Mary Bowers 48 16) Scott Russell 45 17) Alex Piatt 30

The 6th annual Day-Lee Foods World Gyoza Eating Championship took place during the Nisei Week Street Arts Fair, which will feature food, games, merchandise vendors, entertainment, and the Nisei Week Rubik's Cube Championship.

CLICK HERE for more information on the 2012 Los Angeles Nisei Week Festival.

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*All applicants must be 18 years of age or older and fully acknowledge and understand the inherent dangers and risks associated with participating in an eating contest. The applicant further acknowledges and understands that the MLE/IFOCE coordinates with event sponsor(s) to select and approve eligible participants, and that the MLE/IFOCE shall decide, at its sole discretion, whether an applicant is eligible to participate in any eating event, and/or related activities. The MLE/IFOCE may revoke an applicant's eligibility to participate in the eating contest, or related activities, at any time, for any reason, at its sole discretion. The MLE/IFOCE and the event sponsors reserve the right, at any time, to change any and all details concerning the event, including, e.g., time, duration, location and prize structure.