Four Streatham RedHawks players took on two competitive eaters on one chaotic night at Dough Daddy, where things got a little messy and very cheesy.
Who doesn’t love pizza? Yet while most people stop at a few slices, some take it to a whole new level.
These are the competitive eaters, food fanatics who can devour enormous portions at lightning speed and make it look easy. Pizzas, burgers, hot dogs. Even doughnuts.
Max Stanford and Franco Angelini, better known to their thousands of Youtube followers as MaxvsFood and Francosfeasts, are the symbols of Britain’s competitive eating, currently ranked first and third in the British Eating League. Stanford has also made a mark internationally, becoming the highest-ranking European in the United States for competitive eating.
Both regularly take on other competitive eaters, but how would they fare against a group of ravenous athletes ready to devour everything in sight?
A pizza-eating competition against Streatham Ice Hockey Club on October 4 delivered the verdict.
The Redhawks weren’t just any rookie rivals. This was a team of confident men fresh off the ice, still buzzing from a dominant 5–2 victory over the Swindon Wildcats in the NIHL South match. Fuelled by adrenaline and a winning mentality, the Redhawks weren’t stepping away from competition just yet. In fact, they were ready for round two – only this time the arena was a dining table.
A shower, a quick changing-room debrief, and the athletes were on their way, marching down the A23 toward the battleground. The venue? Dough Daddy – one of the Streatham Ice Hockey Club’s proud sponsors and home to London’s biggest 24-inch pizzas, a fitting stage for another fierce showdown.
The Redhawks selected four representatives: Captain Ryan Watt, Samuel Waller, Luke Brittle, and Dylan Dix. For half an hour, they were required to swap skates for slices and consume as many 24-inch pizzas as possible against the content creators.
Max and Franco couldn’t hide their excitement leading up to the contest. Franco admitted: “This is a completely unknown space, very unique, this is the first time we go up against an actual sporting team.”
Max shared his teammate’s spirit. “I am excited to eat lots of pizza, they are actually amazing pizzas,” said the British champion, who aims to break into the world’s top ten.
“We both tried them before, and the players look like they’ve built up a proper appetite, so game on really.”
When asked about the prize, the 38-year-old exclaimed: “Eternal glory and beating the other team, that’s the only prize you need”.
“Beating one of the best ice hockey teams in the land,” Franco added.
Aside from Dough Daddy, another Streatham Ice Hockey Club sponsor helped make the event happen. Nick Hyde from Live Financial Foreign Exchange is a sponsor of the Redhawks and long-time friend of Francosfeasts.
Nick played a key role in securing the collaboration and seemed very pleased with the outcome. “I am proud to be part of the team and help out with the connections and also I love pizza, Dough Daddy is awesome.
“Of course we want to be a part of it and hopefully there will be some leftovers that I could eat as well,” he added with a smile.
Yet with all the excitement came a prolonged delay, while the Streatham skaters waited hungrily on the sidelines for the pizzas to be cooked. At the same time, the chefs of Dough Daddy were rushing to prepare enough supplies for half an hour of continuous consumption.
And soon they were off! The rules were simple: an all-you-can-eat showdown, freshly baked margherita pizzas, and thirty minutes on the clock. Can Streatham earn the second victory of the day?
Right from the start, the competitive eaters took an early lead, with Max devouring his first 24-inch pizza in under five minutes. Franco soon joined in, completing his first pizza around the 10-minute mark. By the 20-minute point, Max was already on his third pizza while Franco was finishing his second, and both still had the energy to chat with the crowd.
Meanwhile, the Redhawks were struggling despite the initial hunger. The ice hockey players battled with huge slices and laughter as their teammates urged them on from the sidelines, but the four players failed to make it past two in total.
As for the pizzas, they arrived rapid-fire, landing on the table like pucks on a face-off circle. Crusts gathered on plates and floors, and the room filled with the intense scent of melted cheese and dough. Halfway through the challenge, the table resembled a post-match locker room, cluttered, chaotic, but filled with cacophonic joy.
Just like a hockey game, substitutions were soon required for the Redhawks, as the entire initial lineup was replaced by teammates, coaches, club volunteers, and even media professionals.
But it wasn’t to be for Streatham, who lost with a final score of five pizzas to four. The eaters’ teamwork and experience came through, and though the Redhawks kept rotating the team, it was clear who dominated the table.
MaxvsFood from the winning team was pleased after the ‘whistle’. He admitted: “It took me a bit of time to get into the rhythm and get my throat warmed up, but once I got into my stride it was fine.
“I was just hindered a little bit by the pizzas. They were coming out so thick and fast I was eating them quicker than they could come in, but they were very tasty.”
While the competitive eaters walked away with the win, the event meant something different to Streatham. It was all about camaraderie and togetherness.
Competitor Dylan Dix summed it up: “It’s always such a good time hanging out with the guys, so any reason to get that extra time and create those memories and those laughs.
“It really translates onto the ice too, because the closer you are with your guys, the more you are going to compete and fight for them.”
Club volunteer Zara Gentles added: “Our supporters often want to know what the team gets up to off the ice as well, and this is another opportunity for our supporters to see another side of our players.”
Streatham IHC has only lost twice so far this season and is targeting silverware across several tournaments, while Max and Franco will look to achieve new heights in the realm of competitive eating.
Will the two sides ever meet at one table again? Only time will show.
Featured image: Rights held by Streatham IHC
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