Westmore News AW 2018 Feature
Tacos for tots (Repost)
Salsa Picante’s 4th annual Taco Eating Contest raises $3,600 for the Tamarack Tower Foundation
Three. Two. One. Hundreds in the crowd simultaneously shouted: “tacos tonight!” And with that, 15 full-bodied men started shoving assorted chicken, carnitas and vegetable tacos in their mouths as fast as possible.
On Thursday, Aug. 16, Salsa Picante at 110 Adee St. hosted its 4th annual Tacos Tonight Taco Eating Contest to raise funds for the Tamarack Tower Foundation, and subsequently, the Port Chester Public Schools. Though it was a fierce competition, there was no animosity. The 15 competitors, all from Port Chester except one Greenwich, Conn. resident, were laughing with each other the whole time and were ultimately there for fun, excitement and the kids.
As the men feasted, the crowd went wild with cheers of support. Mario Pablo, the host and one of the event organizers, hyped them up more, describing the contest like a sports commentator.
“Drink water! Stay hydrated,” echoed Dean Proserpio, a past contestant who decided to sit this year out. “It’s the most important advice,” he later explained.
The contest winner was set to receive $400 worth of prizes—a Salsa Picante T-shirt, tequila, and as a new addition, a custom taco eating championship belt.
One of the contesters, Jon Lovallo, had been crowned the winner at the first two annual showdowns. Last year he couldn’t compete because he was feeling under the weather.
But after 15 minutes of eating, Lovallo successfully reclaimed his throne by demolishing 33 tacos, tortilla shells and all—a taco eating contest record.
“Just eat. You just got to eat. And it’s all about the dressing. You got to dress them right so they’re wet and just eat,” Lovallo said while posing for pictures and basking in his glory. “The belt is new this year and it’s hilarious. It just makes the spectacle of all this even better.”
According to Pablo, more than 350 people attended the party which started several hours before the competition. For $10, they received three tacos, two margaritas and an hour’s worth of unlimited tequila shots. For $5, attendees could refill their taco plate or purchase another margarita and enjoy their meals with friends and family in front of an open-mic stage.
Three hours, 1,280 tacos and 50 gallons of margaritas later, through the community Salsa Picante raised $3,600 for the Tamarack Tower Foundation.
“This event is definitely on the rise,” Pablo said. “Every year, everything increases a little bit. Last year the amount of tacos eaten was 28 and the amount of people attending increased a bit. The first year, the event was inside so it was much smaller. Then we moved it outside and it was huge, we got so much more people than we were expecting. The last two years we were able to control it better, and now it’s this beautiful controlled chaos.”
Besides the championship belt, there were a few other new aspects at the contest this year. Roddy’s Pizza was stationed selling pizza and pasta for those not feeling up for the tacos.
Additionally, several local vendors such as Elegant Empire Jewelers and Patty’s Dominican Hair Salon were raffling off goods and services for the cause.
“It’s a community event on all levels. Both with the people and local businesses,” Pablo said. “There were different tribes that all came together and they all had good things to say, which means next year it will be even better. It’s very influenced by the community.”
Pablo, who was in charge of marketing the event, said it wasn’t hard to get people to come. The event is already known throughout the community. As he continuously tried extending the invites further, he said most people were already on board because they knew the proceeds went toward the schools.
Helping the schools definitely motivated Lovallo.
“David always makes this a great time,” Lovallo said, referring to Salsa Picante owner David Dolores. “But as fun as it is to come hang out with David, this is really about supporting Port Chester Schools. That’s the main reason all of us come out, it’s great to support the kids.”
By Sarah Wolfpoff