Contestant chomps vegan burger in nine minutes to win
Mehran Rouzbehi has won Bankstown Sports’ vegan burger- eating challenge but only because one of his competitors vomited just before he had finished his meal.
The Express
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Mehran Rouzbehi scoffed down his vegan burger, chips and shake in just over nine minutes to win the $250 first prize at the annual Basement Brewhouse vegan burger-eating challenge.
The North Ryde resident only decided to take part three hours before the September 13 event at Bankstown Sports, and unlike many other contestants, said he did not prepare for it.
“It was my first win, I’m vegan and there are not so many vegan eat challenges going on so I am happy Basement Brewhouse hosted it,” Mr Rouzbehi, 32, said.
“To be honest I didn’t really prepare and I had even lunch before the challenge.
“I was lucky because the guy next to me was very fast and almost finished the meal and shake minutes before me but he vomited.
“I think he had only one strawberry in the shake left to finish.”
It was Bankstown Sports’ second burger challenge and the first to feature vegan food.
Mr Rouzbehi, who was born in Iran, became a vegan after reading a book by compatriot and vegetarian Sadegh Hedayat.
“After I read his book around 11 years ago, I was very motivated to give up eating meat, because I also love animals,” Mr Rouzbehi said.
“In the competition, the first part was tough but after I got the hang of it, it got easier.
“Most of the contestants were vegan except for this other guy who told us he was a professional eater.”
Thirteen competitors took up the challenge of eating the Heavenly Vegan burger, made up of four Beyond Vegan patties, crumbed portobello mushroom, facon (vegan bacon), vegan cheddar, roasted vegan garlic aioli, crispy pickled onions, lettuce and guacamole on a vegan burger bun served with vegetable chips and a chocolate peanut butter shake.
Mr Rouzbeh devoured everything on his plate in nine minutes seven seconds, ahead of Krushna Gorasia, who finished in 11 minutes 42 seconds.
Mr Gorasia won a Brewhouse growler gift pack, a Brewhouse T-shirt and cap.
Omar Salomon, who took third spot, was just three seconds behind Mr Gorasia finishing in 11 minutes and 45 seconds.
Bankstown Sports’ Basement Brewhouse hosted its first burger eating challenge in May.
That one was definitely for meat eaters. Eight contestants worked their way through a Mighty Brewbeast burger — four beef patties, four rashers of bacon, four slices of cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion on a brioche bun — served with fries and a shake.
The winner, Winnalit Bhunthumwatchrarod, devoured the meal in three minutes 50 seconds.
Meantime, the Brewhouse has been raking in the medals for its in-house brewed beer, winning a bronze medal for its Australian pale ale at the 2019 Sydney Royal Beer and Cider Show.
More recently the same beer picked up a bronze at the Indies (Independent Beer Awards), while its German-style Kolsch also won a bronze.