On Thursday evening, The Wheel Restaurant in Pottsville held a special event where they invited Randy Santel, a well known competitive eater who has completed various eating challenges. In the 9 years that Randy has been eating professionally he has completed 794 food challenges in all 50 states and 36 different countries prior to Thursday's attempt.
Randy was be the first person to attempt Wheel’s newly invented “Skook Grilled Cheese Challenge”.
The challenge is comprised homemade ingredients from around Schuylkill County including 2 slices of 12-inch by 12-inch bread home made from Minersville bakery, 6 different types of cheese equaling over 1lb, 1lb of local favorite Kowalonek’s Kielbasa, and 10 of Mrs. T’s delicious Pierogies.
In addition to the monstrous sandwich those attempting the challenge have to eat a bowl of Wheel’s tomato bisque soup, 6 homemade croutons, and wash it all down with a 12oz hometown bottle of Yuengling Lager.
The challenge must be completed within 30 minutes. Should you fail the challenge, you must pay $40 for the meal. Should you succeed, the meal is free, you receive a t-shirt, and your name goes on the restaurant's hall of fame.
Roughly 100 people attended the event Thursday night in Pottsville to see Santel's attempt. Santel is well-known on social media and many of his fans arrived early to meet him and get autographs.
Senator Argall stopped by to meet Santel prior to the start of the challenge and also attending was the Mayor of Pottsville, James Muldowney, the Kowalonek Family from Kowalonek's Kielbasy Shop, Shenandoah, the Twardzik Family from Mrs. T's Pierogies, and Bob Krohmer and Diane Mickshaw from the Minersville Bakery.
Attempting the challenge with Santel was Mike Hornacek, of Harrisburg, who is the current record holder of the previous food challenge at the Wheel. Hornacek was able to complete that challenge in 5 minutes and 40 seconds.
Hornacek is also the reigning winner of the Mrs. T's Pierogie Eating Contest at the 2019 Pottsville on Tap. During the event held in the summer, he was able to eat 50 pierogis in 3 minutes.
Santel and Hornacek kneeled side-by-side while those who attended watched them chow down their full plates of food.
Santel finished the entire plate, plus the beer in 18 minutes and 6 seconds. Hornacek was able to finish the sandwich, got through about half the bowl of soup, but was unable to finish.
Afterwards, Santel said "There as not one part of the meal he didn't like, he loved the whole thing".
"Grilled Cheese Challenges are one of my favorite kinds of challenges", added Santel.
When asked what he would tell others thinking of attempting the challenge, "Just make sure your body is trained and ready to eat that much food".
Anyone get attempt the challenge anytime during regular hours.
Story, Photos, and Video by J. Reed
