PROFILE: Midtown (Competitive) Lunch’er “Will ‘The Champ’ Millender”
Every Tuesday we turn over the site to a different Midtown Lunch’er for his or her recommendations for the best lunch in Midtown. This week it’s Will “The Champ” Millender… the winner of Baja Fresh’s Cinco de Mayo burrito eating contest, and a likely qualifier in Go Go Curry’s eating championship. Customer service dude by day, competitive eater by…uh… night? And clearly a favorite to make the Profiled Midtown Lunch’er hall of fame!
Name: Will “The Champ” Millender
Age: 29
Occupation: Customer Service/Competitive Eater
Where in Midtown do you Work?: 45th St. and Madison Ave.
Favorite Kind of Food: Favorite Kind of Food: I have a lot of favorites. Unfortunately they tend to be unhealthy. Go figure. I’d say my favorite food item is Onion Rings. However, for a meal, Pizza is probably my favorite thing. And since I live in a heavily Italian populated neighborhood in Brooklyn (Bay Ridge). I’m a bit spoiled.
Least Favorite Kind of Food: I don’t dig Shrimp and Lobster. I’m not a big fan of the fact that they fall in the same species class as the cockroach. Just can’t seem to get the image out of my head. For some reason, I’m able to make an exception for crab once in awhile though.
Favorite Place(s) to Eat Lunch in Midtown: I enjoy the heck out of the salads at Dishes (on 45th btw. Mad+5th). I can’t tell you why, but their salads, as simple as it sounds, just taste better than anywhere else. Maybe they use magic. They also make a mean Coconut Fried Chicken, but it’s way expensive if you want more than one or two pieces. I like the Meatloaf Sandwich from ‘wichcraft with their cream sandwich cookies for a dessert. Fast food wise, I like that there is a Ranch One nearby (on 46th btw. 5+6th). I haven’t ordered from there as much because I was dissatisfied with my first order, but I’m going to have to give it another go soon. Lastly and most surprisingly, the Duane Reade on 5th and 44th has sandwiches that are made by their Delish brand which are quite tasty if you’re in a rush.
“Go-To” Lunch Place You and Your Coworkers Eat at Too Often? I go far too often to Green Cafe because it’s right downstairs from my office. They have buffet style lunches and it’s way too easy to load up your tray and come up with a $15 – $20 tab.
Place(s) you discovered thanks to Midtown Lunch? I’ve been a ML fan for awhile, but don’t read every single day. On the Competitive Eating website Eat Feats, I was surprised to find I missed the link to the post for Baja Fresh Cinco De Mayo Eating Contest qualifiers where the winner gets a month of free lunch ($10 a day value). I went the next day and qualified with a finish time of 3 mins and 55 secs. Only two other guys were brave enough to face me (one of them being another eater Don “Moses” Lerman). Myself and Don won the lunch for each of their locations. Additionally, ML posted about last years Go Go Curry Eating contest which I couldn’t do due to work priorities at the time. I’ve posted the 2nd place time so far this year, by less than a second. But the reason it’s so easy is not just because I’m one of the fastest eaters, but because their rice and curry is so damn good. I highly recommend them.
If you could work anywhere (just because of the lunch) where would it be and why? I’m a simple guy. I know what I like. So I’d probably say Bay Ridge. Bagel Boy makes the best sandwiches. Lonestar Bar and Grill makes the best burger and boneless chicken wings. Rocco’s makes the best pizza. Peppino’s makes the best eggplant parm hero. Who could ask for more?
Is there anything you’d like to ask the Midtown Lunch readers? Who’s next?
I don’t know what that means, but it scares me. As always, if you would like to be next week’s Profiled: Midtown Lunch’er (or know somebody you’d like to nominate), email editor@midtownlunch.com.
Posted by Zach Brooks at 11:55 am, May 11th, 2010 under PROFILE: Midtown Lunch'er.
70 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
70 Comments
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No fair. I guess I’ll have to get some street cred by eating at Dishes.
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;-)
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This is sorta a shill post. A friend of a friend is affiliated with this place. New BBQ joint in Bayridge.
think you may like it-
they could jack up their french fry portion…
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Weller – Marketing, promoting, supporting, etc, should not be equated with shilling.
If you’re up-front about your reasons for supporting something, you aren’t being a shill:
{shelly:~} webster shill
shill Slang. n. One who works as a decoy, as in a confidence game, by
posing as a customer or an innocent bystander. -intr.v.shilled shilling
shills To act as a shill. [Orig. unknown.]However, if you were to have posted “OMG GUYS! YOU HAVE TO TRY THIS PLACE! THEY USE THE BEST QUALITY INGREDIENTS AT A PRICE YOU CAN AFFORD! THIS PLACE IS A MUST FOR LUNCH! I COULD EAT THERE EVERY MEAL” without saying “PLUS I KNOW THE OWNERS!” or “THE OWNERS HIRED MY MARKETTING COMPANY!”, then *that* would be shilling :)
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I like your hoodie. I still love the X-Men.
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Son of Grossberger. Can he sing “Down in the Valley”?
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Random trivia of the day: Erland Van Lidth De Jeude, who played both Grossberger in Stir Crazy and Terror in the Wanderers was born in the Netherlands, attended MIT, was an Olympic wrestler and a semi-professional opera singer (however, “Down in the Valley” was someone else’s voice due to an actor’s strike or something). He died of a heart attack at 34. Seems like he was an interesting fella.
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Holy crap, I totally want to eat the tip of his giant pizza slice.* It’s all gooey and melty and delicious-looking. Wait, did I just pass out?
*Not a euphemism.
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all mikey’s hair from american chopper hair fell out?
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Will you are a fat lard of crap. You would need more than one stomach bypass to even consider taking you off the critical list
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Now now. It’s a little too early to be starting the day off on the wrong foot. Go have your coffee and a bran muffin and then you can come back to play.
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It’s alright. This questionable human being’s grammar is questionable at best.
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Hmmm. I go to the gym 3 times a week, my cholesterol is 180 and my blood pressure is in normal range. So where is this critical list you speak of? O_o
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Will, I’m willing to wager that you’re probably healthier than most of the people around criticizing you :)
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Take a look in the mirror for you might see an image that differs from the real one . I will avoid the gym that you claim has gotten you into tip top shape They should be reported right away.
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What, is DocChuck offering a correspondence course in internet trolling? Is the course affiliated with University of Arizona?
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I would estimate your weight at approx 500lbs. If you deny that figure you are a damn liar
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Wow, you sound like an expert! If you think he’s 500lbs, either you don’t know what 500lbs looks like, or he’d have to be 8 feet tall to be that tall and keep his physical dimensions… Then again, that’s just a guess, I’m not an expert at “guessing weight from a picture with no point of reference” on the internet :)
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I seriously doubt that YOU are an ‘expert’ at anything, prato.
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Oy, did DocChug create a new log in? Either that or Will has a rival out there with a axe to grind.
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gym 3 times a week…….do you eat the trainer?
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By wearing 8xxxxxx shirts does nothing to hide the fat within. It might help to boost your moral but a starvation diet of lettuce and green tea is the only way to remove that gross poundage of yours. I am not saying this to be mean or hurtful. More like trying to help
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Well to answer the questions EVERYONE wants to know.
I actually wear a 4XL shirt. I’m not 500 lbs, but I used to be near there. I’m a hair under 400 lbs.
I do go to the gym, but… I eat a lot, so it kind of evens out. I also have a binge eating disorder that kicks my ass every once in awhile. I never said I was in “tip top” shape. I said that I’m relatively healthy. Especially for my size.
Guys, I like the supporters, but I like the haters even more, because they’re the ones that keep your name in the news.
Thanks fatpigeater and Rudy. Much appreciated :) -
you work a block away from me…you should really check otu Central Cafe on 43 and vanderbilt…they make huge yummy sandwiches which would satisfy a big appetite and comes with chips and a drink.
also…will you be my body guard?
you woul dhave to lose the xmen hoody though…its not very threatening.-
way to go Samwich….u killed the comments.
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Yeah, really. You stopped them all from talking about me, thanks!!!
LOL, thanks for the recommendation btw. I will check it out. -
bigwill – The best sandwich in the Bay (and maybe the world) is Paneantico – brick oven bread and balsamic; the rest of the ingredients are irrelevant.
masto: i dont think youre off the hook yet.