KEY WEST, FLA. (WSVN) - A Florida man has been crowned champion at this year’s Key Lime Pie Eating Championship in Key West.
The 13th annual contest brought ravaging pie-oneers from around the country to the Florida Keys on Independence Day to devour the city’s signature dessert during the Key Lime Festival.
Each contestant plunged into nine inches of graham cracker crust, Key lime juice, egg yolks and condensed milk. All of them kept their hands behind their backs, with some wearing goggles as they chowed down.
“There’s no place I’d rather be on the Fourth of July than in Key West eating a nine-inch Key lime pie. It beats a New York hot dog every single time,” said Liz Love, the festival’s co-producer.
Tom Luciano, who lives in Venice in Southwest Florida, would be crowned champion after going mouth-to-crust against 24 other contestants in the pie-eating frenzy.
Luciano thanked his wife for coaching him prior to the friendly competition.
“My strategy today was listening to my wife, who told me to use my chin, open my mouth and just swallow, and less chewing,” said Luciano.
His wife’s words of wisdom paid off, as Luciano devoured his pie in just two minutes and 46 seconds.
Luciano said he’s not done for the day, with dinner plans Friday night, including even more pie.
“I actually am going to have dessert tonight. I feel like I haven’t had enough Key lime pie yet,” he said.
While Luciano’s performance was fast enough to win the Key Lime Pie Eating Champ title this year, it wasn’t the fastest on record. Trey Bergman, an attorney from Houston, holds that record when he consumed his pie in just 40 seconds in 2018.
The pie-eating contest is a centerpiece of Key West’s annual Key Lime Festival, which runs five days and features everything from sip and strolls to the famous Key lime pie drop from the top of the Key West Lighthouse.
The festival wraps up Sunday.
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