Another TOP WOF

This is a photo of the Apollo Challenge Wall of Fame at the Highlands Ranch location of Taste of Philly. No names or finish times on the wall photos - anyone know who or the times? This location has the most finishers of the Apollo Cheesesteak Challenge. Will there be another finisher soon?

TOP Wall

Jimmy, Austin, Me


Here is a photo of the Wall of Fame at the Taste of Philly store in Lakewood. This store is one of the 3 Taste of Philly stores that offer the Apollo Cheesesteak Challenge. There are 3 people:

Jimmy Mares, 10:42
Me, 14:45
Austin Trujillo, 53 minutes.

Read and see more from my attempt.

Watch the video from my attempt.

Video from Taste of Philly

A week ago I went back to Taste of Philly to take the Apollo Cheesesteak Challenge again to improve my time from my first attempt at this challenge. I did improve my time by 1/3. The cheesesteak challenge is 44 ounces of meat, 18 ounces of white American cheese, and 8 ounces of onions all on a 20" Amoroso roll. Check out the video:



The video is a minute or so at the beginning of the eat, and a couple of minutes at the end of the eat. I had a great pace for the first half or so and then slowed some. I finished in 14:45.

Here is a link to a write up.

Another Taste of Philly

A couple of weeks ago I went to the Taste of Philly on Colorado Blvd to take the Apollo Cheesesteak Challenge. 44 ounces of meat. 18 ounces of white American cheese. 8 ounces of onions. 20 inch Amoroso roll. You are allowed 60 minutes to complete it. My time was 21 minutes and 6 seconds. Not a bad time, but come on. So I go back to the Lakewood store to try it again.

Waiting for the sandwich. Plan: fork the meat/cheese until I can pick up the half, then sandwich it, and then clean up the droppings.

Just started. It was STEAMY HOT. At the end I notice my tongue is burned.

Zoned in on the 1st half.

The photo is askew. Just like me?

Hands are still clean.

Still.

Hands are not clean any more.

1st half coming to a close.

Last bite of 1st half. Half down in under 4:30!

On the 2nd half.

2nd.

Clearing.













Very sticky.

Sandwiching the 2nd half at 8:59.





Passing the record time. Not much samich left.







2nd half droppings.

All done. 14:45.

Had a little in the mouth at 14:45.



Starting the clean up.

So 14:45. Much better than 21:06. But I started so well - 1st half sandwich done in under 4:30! Great pace. At around 9 minutes, I thought maybe - just maybe - I could come in under 10:42. Did that thought do me in? 10:42 came and went. My interest kind of waned, and I pretty much limped in to close at 14:45. Dang it!

Eating challenges: 38 attempted. 20 successes. 18 failures.

44-18-8

That's how much meat, white American cheese, and grilled onions are stuffed inside a 20-inch lightly-crusty-on-the-outside-but-pillowy-soft-inside Amoroso roll. In ounces. The regular cheesesteaks here usually tip the scales at well over a pound but the sandwich fixings-to-bun ratio is not usually as fixing-heavy as the challenge samich.


After ordering, signing the waiver, and being confined to the challenge zone (CAUTION!), it's on. The cheesesteak is cut in half, each half in its own basket. I usually try to do food challenges as nature intended: eat hot dogs normally, knife and fork a steak, whatever the case, but the Apollo just could not be eaten that way because of the bread-busting volume of the meat and cheese. So I started by using a fork to shovel the insides. Coach reminded me to down some of the bread too.


I really tried not to chipmunk, as I think I ALWAYS DO (and I know I shouldn't!!) whether a contest or challenge, and there wasn't too much munking but there were a few times. Bonz had me clear each time, and everything was OK.

I get through the first half of the cheesesteak in just under 8 minutes. The 2nd half is more of the same. I did let my attention wander just a bit a couple times for photos and comments. The MOD had me clear the sandwich droppings really well before calling it done, but it was called at 21:06. The other guy [the Asian Assassin] who had finished, at this location, came in with a "21 minute" time. I am thinking the time was to the minute and not the second. So because no one can prove otherwise I am saying we tied.

Wall of Fame on Colorado Blvd

Normally, eating Taste of Philly cheesesteaks can't be beat. But eating FREE Taste of Philly cheesesteaks -- nothing better!

Soon, Taste of Philly is going to offer another sandwich at the nearest-to-me Aurora location: the Green Chile Philly. That is going to be killer. I can't wait!



The waiver







It's big

Just after GO



End of 1st half







Handling the 2nd half







Coming to the end

Done

21:06



Another t-shirt!