Lively menu tempts taste buds during Fear Factor challenge

  • Published
  • By Debbie Aragon
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs
OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. --  Cow brains, fish blood and ostrich eggs ... menu choices to savor or not so much? Nine Team Offutt contestants lined a table at the Patriot Club Nov. 20 to decide for themselves during Offutt's second Fear Factor eating competition.

The full menu of "Earth worms and goat's milk," "ostrich eggs and cow brains," "live minnows and fish blood," and "V-13 juice" was developed by Patriot Club Head Chef Javier Ruiz and his staff during a brain storming session.

"Obviously it's hard to make bad food and it's not something we're accustomed to, but we had fun doing something different," Chef Ruiz said.

Each item was taste tested by the chef and his staff before the food challenge.
"The flavors weren't bad but after you have one and top it with another ... it was going to be very unpleasant," he said.

This was the second time the chef has developed a unique menu for Fear Factor here. "Last time a couple of the competitors didn't make it ... they needed a bucket," he said.

Airman Dominic Andrews and his 55th Operations Support Squadron teammate Senior Airman Reshoun Coverson brought their appetites to the table with the other competitors.

Airman Coverson was the strong voice of participation while Airman Andrews said he was a little hesitant at first.

The Airman said he's thought about doing the more physical Fear Factor events such as jumping off a building because he's a bit of an adrenaline junky, but never the food challenge.

"At first I didn't want to do it, but then he said he was going to do it so I said okay," Airman Andrews said.

Airman Coverson's reasons for competing were simple.

"I always try to do something different ... and it's something that will gross my wife out," he said. He acknowledged that he didn't think he'd make it through the competition and was sure he was "gonna puke at some point" but looked at his teammate and added, "if you don't puke, I'll try my best not to."

Before the competition began, Airman Coverson said the V-13 juice made him the most nervous because he didn't know what was in it.

Airman Andrews said he wasn't looking forward to the ostrich eggs and cow brains.

"The cow brain is gonna be intense," he said. "I'm gonna try not to think about it and just swallow it."

As each menu course was placed on the table and competitors did their best to eat them, Senior Airman Michael Makela, a member of the 55th Force Support Squadron, showed his eating prowess by finishing each course first.

He was crowned the 2009 Fear Factor winner and given a check for $100. Second place went to U.S. Navy Seaman Joseph Smith with Strategic Communications Wing One Detachment and third place to Tech. Sgt. Nolan Liwanag with U.S. Strategic Command.

This wasn't Airman Makela's first taste of victory. He was last year's Fear Factor winner and won the Patriot Club's 96 oz. Steak Eating Competition as well.

"I like to eat and I'm good at it," the Airman said after his recent victory. "I have a reputation in my work center, and earned a nickname a long time ago as being called the goat ... because I eat everything."

Despite his previous wins, Airman Makela said he was a little nervous before this year's Fear Factor.

"I was a little worried because of how many competitors I was up against," he said. "Last year I think I was only up against about five or six people, and (this year) I didn't know any of the people or where their eating talents lay."

When it was go time however, Airman Makela said he had no worries.
"I was hungry," he said.

So what would Offutt's eating king say to any would be competitors?

"So far, I'm undefeated in competitions and I'm looking forward to completing a few more before I deploy," he said. "The only thing I can say to the other competitors is to feel free to try, but you'd be wasting your time cause I eat to win!"

For curious readers, despite his wife cheering him on, Airman Coverson wasn't able to complete the challenge without the use of the courtesy bucket provided.

"It was disgusting," the Airman said but added he'd be back the next time.

"I want to come back and not throw up at least once. That's the goal and the motivation," he added.

Win or lose, all of the competitors were very brave, Chef Ruiz said.

"I would never do it myself but people like to do things that are different. The competition is just one thing that we do to try to bring people into the club to see the other things we offer," he added.