Issue date: 4/9/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: Courtesy Photo [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Courtesy Photo [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Courtesy Photo [Click to enlarge]

Blue Baker's freshly baked cookies satisfied a lot of hunger on April 4 -and then some. It was Blue Baker's first World Cookie Eating Championship.

Some of the professional eaters who attended the event included Pork Slap Arcaria, Coondog O'Karma, A-Bomb Lane, Hellfire Huang, Goose Gilbert, The Pride of Texas and The Chowhound.

The Chowhound, normally referred to as Arnie Chapman, was the emcee, or "master of ceremonies," of the event.

"I was raised in New York all my life, but was born in Amarillo, Texas, in 1961," he said. "Destiny has brought me back to Texas so I can experience the joy of Blue Baker's cookies and take part in the crowning of the world's number one cookie eater."

Chapman went into the event expecting a new world record, possibly from Tom "Goose" Gilbert. Gilbert held four world records in competitive eating before this event.

"Some of the nation's top food warriors are going to go bite-to-bite with different styles [and] techniques," he said. "Texas pride will also be on line and several Texas eaters will give 100 percent in an effort to keep the cookie crown in Texas."

Suzanne Gilles, Blue Baker's catering and marketing manager, said the event attracted many popular eaters because of the prize money and the chance to be in Blue Baker's first ever cookie eating championship.

"Additionally, these guys will travel to be in a significant, important and newsworthy competition to build their eating resume," she said. "This will be the first ever world championship cookie eating contest, and it is right here in College Station. All Pro Eating is the group we worked with to get them here."

Dave, or "Coondog," O'Karma participated in the event, and days before said he anticipated the moment when he would have his fill of cookies.

"The hardest part of competitive eating is when you get full, and then finding the will and drive to continue eating after you are full," he said.

Most people would be prone to wonder what competitors look like if they are willing to eat past the moment of satiation for the sake of a contest, but most of the competitive eaters are able to stay in shape.

"I'm an active person and eat like a normal person most of the time," O'Karma said.

O'Karma lives in Cleveland, Ohio, and traveled to Texas for this event.

"It gives me a chance to wear a cowboy hat as I compete," he said. "I love Texas, I love my cowboy hat and I especially love cookies."

Chapman expected all the eaters to love cookies and made an estimation of how many he thought the eaters would consume.

"5,000,000...If not, the winner will eat 24 four-ounce cookies in 10 minutes," he said. "Several guys will be really close at 17 cookies. The battle for second and third will be the most intense."

Chapman was a little off on his estimate, but he said the final results were impressive nonetheless. There was a tie for third place by Dany Tano and Kevin Thomas. Daniel Merchant took second place with 13 cookies in six minutes, and in the same amount of time, Tom "Goose" Gilbert won the $1,000 first place prize by eating 20 cookies.

The actual consumption of that many cookies was a challenge, according to Chapman.

"Cookies have been known to be a little bit abrasive on the inner mouth where the tissue is soft," he said. "The ability to also coordinate the appropriate amount of milk and water is also a big factor. Cookies also require a certain toughness, jaw action and chew strength. A good cookie eater is a tough person despite the fun and mellow reputation normally associated with cookies."

Chapman said he had a guess as to why this event attracted top eaters, despite the challenges.

"The opposite sex finds it irresistible to watch you eat cookies," he said. "Also, the possibility of becoming the world's No. 1 cookie eater and winning money is pretty cool."

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