By James DeWeese
Chef One, a Brooklyn-based company that produces almost 200,000 Chinese dumplings a day in its Harrison factory, hosted the “1st Annual Healthy Dumpling Eating Contest” at Flushing's Sheraton LaGuardia East Saturday afternoon.”Basically, we stole the idea from hot dogs,” said Terry Tang, president of Chef One. Tang said the company spent more than six months planning the event aimed at spotlighting its reduced-cholesterol but tasty Asian culinary treats and kicking off celebrations for the Chinese Lunar New Year, which takes place on Feb. 9.”This is the first year,” he said. “Hopefully, we will do it every year.”Sixty men, 29 women and seven non-profit teams from across the borough squared off in the competition, which offered cash prizes of up to $1,000 for first-place winners in the individual categories. Teams of competitors from non-profit organizations had the opportunity to win as much as $2,000 for their respective charities.Individual participants were asked to scarf down as many of the tasty, meat-filled, dough-wrapped goodies as they could in two minutes. The three-member non-profit teams got four minutes, one for each of the first two participants and two for the anchor man.The American Cancer Society team took down 48 dumplings, 30 of which were consumed by one man who dispensed with the chopsticks and used his hands.Chinatown native Chao Yun Yeh, 30, did the same, shoveling dumplings directly into his mouth. “Good. I feel good,” said Yun Yeh, who won first place in the men's competition after eating 40 dumplings in two minutes. He said he didn't prepare and was sure to eat breakfast before competing.Fresh Meadows resident Taway Yang, 39, who earned second place in the women's division, applied a different philosophy.Asked if she ate her morning meal, Yang said, “Absolutely not. No breakfast.” After winning a noodle eating contest in the past, she was disappointed with her runner-up finish – but not as much as her husband, Li Ping, 49, who took fourth place in the men's competition.Yang's whole family came. “It's a great family time,” she said of the festivities, that included two professional MCs and booming techno music.Tang said that's the idea. The Chinese Lunar Year is a family time, he said.”Dumplings is to Asian culture a family thing,” said Tang, who pointed out that their preparation used to be a family affair. “Now, of course, lifestyle is different but we still want to get the Asian things people remember.”The Chinese dumpling came into existence about 2,000 years ago as a half-moon-shaped off-shoot of the more traditional wonton, according to Chef One's historical research. Saturday represented another step in their continuing evolution as they became fodder for a Western-style eating contest.”Americans have hot dog eating contests, why can't we have dumplings?” said Christine Lee, one of the contest's MCs.Reach reporter James DeWeese by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 157.
