In a 12-person heap, reigning Champion Wayne Algenio successfully defends his title by beating his previous record (18) with a new whopping total: 27 37 Balut in five minutes.
In a gallant effort, our own Jose Mercado finishes with 11.
***UPDATE: Apparently, there was a mis-count. Wayne ate THIRTY-SEVEN. NOT 27.
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It was a perfect New York Saturday, bright and sunny with the smell of Lechon in the air. We were at the Hester Street Fair for what has now become an official Filipino holiday here in New York – Maharlika + Jeepney’s second installment of their “Balut Eating Challenge.”
For the second year in a row, Nicole Ponseca, Chef Miguel Trinidad and the awesome folks of The Maharlikan Familia continue their great work in promoting Filipino cuisine and culture through this signature event. The competition has drawn the interest of New Yorkers and the support of Fil-Ams in the city, and it has become a vehicle for Filipino food to continue to evolve and find its way into mainstream consciousness.
In this second installment of the Balut Eating Challenge, Wayne Algenio defends his crown with a repeat championship performance, blowing past the field with a new record of 27 37 eaten balut in five minutes.
Algenio went against 11 other notable competitors who scarfed their way through one balut after another. The rest of the field consisted of:
- Noel Velasco
- Philip Bacalan
- Dale Watkins
- Hoi Nguyen
- Kingston Yuen
- Jonathan Ocampo
- Rica Sunga
- Anafe Casas and Carlos Borges
- Jeepney’s own Alexia Sellas
- and, our Jose Mercado
The crowd was serenaded by the iconic NYC recording artist, Mr. Joe Bataan, while local MC and hip-hop promoter Kilusan Bautista hosted.
We can’t wait for next year, as we look to see who will attempt to deny Wayne a three-peat.
Check out the video, courtesy of none other than the Champ’s YouTube page:
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