Fries, cheese curds and gravy went flying today at Yonge-Dundas Square as contestants took part in the third annual World Poutine Eating Championship. Only in Canada.

Hosted by Smoke’s Poutinerie, eaters from around the world faced off at eating the most poutine in 10 minutes.

The winner of the Amateur competition downed 7 1/4lbs of poutine in 10 6 minutes, and walked off with free poutine for a year (though I could’ve sworn the emcee mentioned ‘for life’). Either way, that’s a whole lot of poutine.

I forgoed picking up a box of the free poutine they were giving away (the line was way too long anyway), and stuck around for the Professional competition. People of all shapes and sizes were lined up ready to take on the title. Who would’ve thought that the petite Meredith Boxberger of Barrie, Ontario would garner 6th place over all those burley looking men?

The winner of the Professional competition was Joey Chesnut, who ate a whopping 19 boxes of Smoke’s Poutinerie poutine. He got himself a nice $2000 cash prize,  a retro-looking trophy, and bragging rights as the poutine-eating champion of the world.

Watching these people shove poutine in their mouths is a visual I’ll never forget. I love my poutine, but after today’s display I may not be eating it for a while.

  

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