A 29-year-old man has won Singapore's first Food League title by finishing 92 chicken wings in just eight minutes at the inaugural Food League Singapore competitive eating championship in Buangkok on Saturday.
After winning the title, personal trainer Zermatt Neo said told The Straits Times: "Chicken wings require a lot more technique. It's the first time I've eaten so many but I'm only 40 per cent full."
Neo's winning technique for the mid-joint of the wing, involved cracking its tip, sliding the flesh downwards to form a "meat umbrella" and then shoving the meat into his mouth in lightning speed.
Neo defeated seven other competitors that included Sarah Ow, who had featured in a viral Food League Singapore video last month. In the food league, Ow had finished eight bowls of lor mee in 17 minutes.
At Saturday's event, Ow conquered the second position after completing 88 chicken wings in the same time. The event was organised by competitive eating enthusiasts who want to standardise contests and introduce a national ranking system across the island.
Sean Lee, the founder of the event, claimed that eating competitions had started gaining some interest about nine years ago in Singapore. Lee himself has a personal record of finishing 82 wantons in 12 minutes.
"The league's aim is to ensure that aspects such as timing and safety are standardised across all contests to elevate the level of competition and minimise disputes," he said.
The Food League is planning to organise such events once in every quarter and will be recruiting contestants across the island.
Ow, who is a member of the league, believes that the organisation can help to put Singapore on the competitive food eating map, which is dominated by countries such as Japan and the United States, by holding such events.
"It will help to generate more interest and recognition for the activity. It's like participating in a sport - I feel a thrill whenever I'm competing," she added.
