Zocalo Taco-Eating Contest

Taco, egg and oyster champion Sonya Thomas, cannoli champion Eric Badlands Booker and surging rookie Tim Janus are among those who will face off at the Zócalo Taco-Eating Championship as part of Inside Out, the Fall Street Festival at Vanderbilt Avenue, Grand Central Terminal, at 12:30 PM on Wednesday, September 29, 2004.

The contest will be part of a day-long series of events on Vanderbilt Avenue from 11 am to 6 pm to celebrate the food and retail offerings in Grand Central Terminal. Zócalo Restaurant, which is located on the lower-level Dining Concourse at Grand Central Terminal and at 174 East 82nd Street on the Upper East Side, is considered among the city’s most authentic Mexican restaurants.

The event, which balances the protein and carbohydrate disciplines, promises significant drama. At stake is the title of World Taco-Eating Champion and $1,000 in purse money.

“Zócalo is pleased to hold the world taco-eating championship in New York City, home to an enormous Latin community and to those who appreciate its food and culture,” said Laura Shapiro of Zócalo. “This will be a celebration for both Grand Central Terminal and Zócalo.”

Inside Out, the Fall Street Festival at Vanderbilt Avenue, between 42nd and 44th streets, provides an opportunity for many of Grand Central Terminal’s restaurants and retail shops literally to turn INSIDE OUT, bringing their specialties out of the historic building to Vanderbilt Avenue. Features include free musical entertainment provided by MTA Music Under New York and a wide variety of foods.