Steveston restaurant to host taco-eating contest this Friday

If you’re in need of a bit of a laugh this Friday afternoon, a Steveston restaurant owner and a Richmond realtor couple has just the event lined up for you.

Scotty Olak, the new owner of Little Mexico Cantina, and Chris and Angela Dinnell, of Dinnell Real Estate Group, have teamed up to present a live-streamed taco-eating contest.

All three of them agreed that the village, and Richmond as a whole, needed a bit of cheering up, as the pandemic restrictions continue to rumble on and the one-year anniversary on Friday of the global pandemic being declared by the WHO.

So they got to work organizing the contest – which will be live-streamed on Facebook at 2 p.m. Friday, March 12 – and have signed up six potential taco-eating champions who stand a chance of winning a few rather tasty prizes, depending on who eats the most tacos in 30 minutes.

“We did a video with Scotty to let everyone know he had taken over. Someone saw the video and came into the restaurant and said it would be hilarious if we had a taco-eating contest…as a joke,” said Chris.

“I brought it up with Scotty and he said he thought it was actually a great idea to bring some smiles back to the community. The three of us brainstormed to pull this off with a socially-distanced contest on (the restaurant) patio.

“We have managed to get six local residents (to enter) and it’s got some great traction on social media.”

Chris said his money is on a 26-year-old girl, apparently weighs about 95 pounds but “supposedly can eat a lot. She’s the underdog I think could take out the boys,” added Chris.

The prizes up for grabs for Michael Smith, Kevin Peters, Ryan Fleming, Joe Mallabar, Samii Ariel and Benjamin Hagwood include 50 per cent off your bill at Little Mexico Cantina for one year; a premium bottle of tequila and, of course, a winner’s trophy, which will remain in the restaurant.

Olak, who took over the cantina in October, said he’s never done anything like this in all his years in the industry, be it in Canada or in his native Scotland.

“This is something new and fun,” said Olak

“It’s likely going to be chicken tacos. I will bring out big plates and they will eat as many as they can. There will be maybe 15 to 20 on each plate.”

Next year, assuming the pandemic will be over, Chris said they hope to have a bigger event out on the patio, where everyone can come and watch.

“The city has been so down with COVID and there’s been so few events to get people excited and talking,” added Chris.

“This will hopefully get people out of their shells and laughing again. Steveston has been so good at putting smiles on people’s faces.”

Asked why neither Olak, Chris or Angela are taking part, Chris explained that he and Angela will be running the event, while Olak will be busy cooking the tacos and serving them up to the contestants.

To watch the contest at 2 p.m. on Friday, go to https://www.facebook.com/dinnellrealestategroup