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Just a few days before Father's Day, 2013, I was honored to receive an invitation, via Facebook, from Shannen Park, owner of Rivers Edge Café, to be one of five dads in the "Big Daddy Burger Eating Challenge." Shannen's Facebook invitation read, "Calling all DADS! I need 5 Dads to participate in our Big Daddy Burger Eating Challenge live on Good Day Sacramento at Rivers Edge Cafe & Espresso on Father's Day at 9:15am. Let me know if you can help me out. Thanks." As a "foodie," and a lover of fine food, I was only "big daddy enough" to accept her kind invitation. Not to mention that a food challenge always piques my interest, and I never miss a chance to flaunt myself on live television...
Photo: Since our last visit to Rivers Edge Café, during Superbowl Sunday, the restaurant has expanded it's outdoor seating, and now features lots of comfortable, outdoor seating. The weather today, Sunday, June 16, 2013, at 1000, when the eating contest was to begin, was perfect, as the temperature was in the mid-70's..
Photo: A pre-contest photo of the biggest burger that Rivers Edge Café has ever produced, and it's aptly named the "Big Daddy Burger." This thing is HUGE, and starts off with an giant hamburger bun, a meat patty - probably a half pound or so - a couple slabs of cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce, a slab of hash browns - Oh my! - bacon, and diced jalapeńo pepper slices, and the whole creation is covered with lots of ranch dressing. A colossal, but truly delicious burger, as, like everything else on the menu, Rivers Edge Café cooked the burger to perfection.
Photo: Owner of Rivers Edge Café, Shannen Park, discusses pre-contest strategy with Nina Hajian, our friendly reporter from Good Day Sacramento, the premire television news/magazine show in the Sacramento area.
Photo: I can't resist having my photo taken with a beautiful woman, so I pose with Nina Hajian, of Good Day Sacramento. My friend and wingman, Robert Kipperman, took this photo, and most of the other photos. Thanks, Robert, for being a buddy, and a great photographer!
Photo: You saw the photo of the burger, in a pre-contest photo, now, here's a photo of the burger, and the mountain of fries we had to overcome in order to be crowned the winner of the "Big Daddy Burger Eating Challenge."
Photo: The worthy contestants of the "Big Daddy Burger Eating Challenge," from left to right: Randall, Chad, Dan, David and Eric. We're basically at the starting gate, getting ready for the competition, and to enjoy a delicious burger. The rules of the contest were simple, as the first person to completely finish their plate of burger and fries was the winner.
Photo: Nina ad-lib's on live television, as contestants, and onlookers check out the action. This was truly a, "Gentlemen, start your engines," moment.
Photo: Nina announces on live, Sacramento television, "Ready... set... 1... 2... 3... GO!" And, we were off to the races!
Photo: David, Dan and I, digging into our burgers and fries, on live Sacramento television.
Photo: Randall's daughter played a role in Ron's victory, as she continuously took photos of him, and rooted for him, with chants of "Come on dad, you can do it!" If I wasn't so busy laughing, I might have been able to do a little better, but the food was good, the event was fun, and I just couldn't stop laughing as I enjoyed my hearty, yet delicious burger and fries. Rivers Edge Café serves quality food, and the "Big Daddy Burger" is the sort of burger that a burger connoisseur would dream about.
Photo: I'm about half way through the competition, as I give the camera a dreamy look, as I wolf down my burger and fries. I need to add to my Things-to-do-List to come back to Rivers Edge Café, and spend a couple of hours, without contestants, to truly enjoy one of these delicious burgers. Yes, it would take a couple of hours for me to completely enjoy this plate of burger and fries, but I think I can do it!!!
Photo: Randall stuffs the last bite of food into his mouth, as his daughter, and the paparazzi look on, enjoying the show.
Photo: Drum roll... Randall Fairchild is declared with winner, with his clean plate for evidence, and holds the trophy that he won, as camera-guy Scott films him on live television. Later, I joked with him that this was the pinnacle of his life, and it was all downhill from here...
Photo: Mr. Randall Fairchild, the winner of the "Big Daddy Burger Eating Challenge," gives my camera a "thumbs up," after his victory speech. Note the awesome trophy that he won, along with lifelong bragging rights for winning this awesome contest.
Photo: Shannen brought out the "Caveman," to display on Good Day Sacramento, before the live television audience. "Caveman" is two pieces of bacon, a slab of ham, two sausage links, two eggs, home style potatoes, along with a biscuit, covered with sausage gravy. Hmmm... that gives me an idea the next time I show up at Rivers Edge Café for breakfast.
Photo: Nina Hajian, and Shannen Park, two of the most beautiful women in Sacramento, post with Shannen's breakfast creation, "Caveman."
Photo: Shannen was kind enough to provide a draught beer to us, to celebrate Randall's victory. Left to right, Eric Rench, Dan Petty, and winner, Randall Fairchild, toast Randall's victory. Thank you, my friend, Shannen Park for inviting me as a contestant at your fine eating challenge, and thanks to my friends at Good Day Sacramento, and to my friend, Robert Kipperman, for making this a fun morning! The Sacramento Breakfast Club is looking forward to the next meeting we hold at Rivers Edge Café. Rivers
Edge Café Copyright(c) 2013 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. This site has been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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