Tickets for the October 18th SF Food Wars went on sale at 12 noon on Monday. One hour and 3 minutes later, the event –The Mini Cupcake Clash – was sold out.

San Francisco Food Wars,
a taste test competition (not a cafeteria-style food fight) held its inaugural food-off last month with The Mac Battle Royale w/ Cheese.

It all started when Jeannie Choe, a  designer, photographer and maker of dog  treats, came here from New York a year ago and “and saw a huge void where community food-offs should've been.”

Who knew? Not me that New York is full of foodie competitions (“up the wazoo,” Choe puts it.)  Sure New Yorkers love to fight and San Franciscans love food. Do we make food love not war?

But Choe figured what with SF being such a food-centric city, competitive cooking could be the Bay Area’s next new sport. (Move over Kick-ball and Quidditch.)

But was Choe more inspired more by “Iron Chef ‘ or “The Betty Crocker Bake-Off?”

“Hands-down BOTH,” said Choe. “The best part about SF Food Wars is the crazy mix of competitors we get. We've had professional chefs, caterers, and Susie homemakers all serving to the masses under the same roof. This makes for a crazy-varied array of eats that guarantees your palate will not die of boredom.”
For instance, Mac and Cheese warriors included teams with names like  “The Modern Halitosis Lovers” (serving up Makeout Mac) and “Hella Fat” (cooking Crackaroni con Queso) and “Beer & Nosh” (submitting their “Bourbon Duck Cheddar Mac & Cheese.”)

Last months Mac and cheese winner was Team KKR/Bike Basket Pies with their “Mac N Cheese Pies” – a mix of Pt. Reyes blue cheese, walnuts, spinach, and shitake mushrooms…and some macaroni.

It’s a win-win situation for gourmets and gourmands alike: competing is free.  Eaters pay a measly $10 to chow-down and help judge the event.  Winners  include cash,  food and gift certificates and trophies. Eaters get to nosh their way to a coronary.