DALTON, Ga. (AP) - Moments after failing to eat all of a six-pound empanada Dec. 13 to kick off Love Empanadas' "Whole Lotta Love" challenge, Grant Shell said he felt like both a "winner and loser."
Shell, sports sales manager for the Dalton Convention & Visitors Bureau, was able to eat four pounds of the empanada in 23 of the 30 minutes allotted. Garrett Teems, the director of the Downtown Dalton Development Authority and Shell's co-competitor, ate just over three pounds.
Since no one finished the entire empanada there was no winner declared.
Teems said when Love Empanadas owner Herman Nunez came to him with the idea of a food challenge he thought it was a great idea.
"I thought, 'Who better to take the challenge than one of the members of the Downtown Dalton Development Authority?'" he said. "At the the time we didn't know how big this thing was going to be ..."
The empanada was stuffed with ground beef and veggies, Hawaiian ham, pepperoni, green peppers and mozzarella, chipotle chicken and barbecue chicken.
"From the beginning we've set a standard to be different from every other Mexican restaurant and specialize in empanadas," said Nunez. Love Empanadas opened in October at 107 W. Cuyler St.
Ruth and Ruben Flores are regulars at the restaurant. Ruth Flores said in her native Puerto Rico empanadas are deep fried.
"I like the way they do it here, it's baked and healthier. Each country has their own style," she said.
Her husband Ruben said he was impressed with how much Shell and Teems ate.
"Two of the regular ones are enough for me," he said.
Teems said he's surprised he ate three pounds.
"That amount of food, you think about it in your head and say that's a lot," he said. "You keep eating and eating and it compounds on you."
Shell said his strategy was to not think about how much food it actually was.
"I planned to close my eyes and keep eating until there was no more food," he said.
Jeremy Moss, a spectator, said he had to come see what six pounds of an empanada looks like.
"I eat two of the normal ones and I'm stuffed," he said.
The entry fee for the challenge is $32.99, which is the price of a six-pound empanada. If a person finishes the entire empanada his or her picture will go on the wall inside the restaurant.
Teems said he challenges anyone to try the six-pound empanada.
"It was a whole lot of fun," he said.