THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, November 23, 1994 TAG: 9411190197
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 11 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL REED, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 42 lines
A Navy man with an asbestos stomach and buzz saw jaws gnawed his way to the championship of the ``first annual king wing'' competition held recently at a Dam Neck area restaurant.
The winner was burly Lt. Robert Gullette, who devoured 21 spicy chicken wings rated ``hot,'' ``killer,'' ``suicide,'' ``atomic'' and ``below hell'' by the cooks at Lendy's Cafe & Raw Bar in Dam Neck Square Shopping Center.
Gullette, who is stationed at the Atlantic Fleet Combat Training Center at Dam Neck, accomplished this feat amid raucous cheers from lunch-hour onlookers, without once taking a cooling sip of water. For his efforts he was awarded a Lendy's T-shirt and the right to wear a bauble-studded crown for a few minutes before television cameras.
``I just got those endorphins going and didn't pay any attention to it (the pain),'' he said proudly, mopping the sweat from his brow and upper lip.
Eight other contestants took part in the spicy eat-off, including Amber Ridgely, an employee at a nearby branch of the Bank of Hampton Roads. All the others, Ridgeley included, managed to keep up with Gullette until the final round, when the endurance bout turned into a speed eating contest.
The winner had to down six super hot ``below hell'' chicken wings before all comers. This Gullette did, smacking his lips at the end and declaring the repast ``the hottest I've ever eaten.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by DAVID B. HOLLINGSWORTH
Amber Ridgely, an employee at the Bank of Hampton Roads, was one of
the wing-devouring contestants.
Lt. Robert Gullette, who scarfed 21 wings rated from hot to atomic
won the ``first annual king wing'' contest at Lendy's Cafe & Raw
Bar.
by CNB