Mary Bowers

In the immortal words of Coco Chanel, a woman should be two things: Classy and fabulous. If Ms Chanel lived long enough to behold the classy and fabulous Mary ''I Love 'Em Hot'' Bowers in sanctioned competition, no doubt she would have added a third tenet of lady-excellence—that she should be able to eat a lot of food. Mary is known across the MLE universe for her dedication to style. She has been known to fashion pieces in celebration of the day's culinary discipline; her poutine fascinator was, according to fashion bloggers, the standout of her 2012 collection. The piece—a combination of Andalusian tradition and Quebec starch—stunned all who gazed upon its beauty. A hot dog and sausage specialist, Mary made history by becoming the first-ever women's wild card participant in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Championship, an achievement she cites as her proudest. She has also competed in gyoza. Away from the table, Mary distinguishes herself as a model, poet and as the webmistress of eatbemary.com, a website dedicated to her numerous passions and pursuits. Her Twitter feed (@eatbemary) is a welcome respite from 21st Century snark and smut; it is focussed on handy household hints and inspirational bon mots. Her neverending goal? "To compete in new food categories and to continue to connect with my amazing fans," Mary says. See you at the table, Ms Bowers.