April 21, 2012

LAWRENCE, Kan. – It was an exciting day at the track and on the field on the fourth and final day of the 2012 Kansas Relays Saturday, and in the midst of all of that excitement, Kansas Athletics set a record of its own by serving the world’s biggest-ever plate of nachos, as certified by the Guinness Book of World Records.

The event took place inside Memorial Stadium, with service from noon – 2:30 p.m. Organizers started building the plate of nachos at 10 a.m. It was over 80 feet long, two feet wide and 10 inches deep, weighing in at a world-record 4,689 pounds. Fans with a ticket stub for the Kansas Relays and a canned food donation, or a cash donation to the LINK Kitchen, were able to take part in the festivities and help polish off the world-record nacho feast. Representatives from the Kansas Department of Agriculture and Food Safety and the Guinness Book of World Records were on hand to certify the record-breaking attempt. KU student-athletes also helped serve individual plates of the nachos to the fans.

Kansas Athletics partnered with local restaurant The Salty Iguana and Kansas Athletics’ hospitality partner, Centerplate, to help in setting the world record, which raised money for the LINK Kitchen, a Lawrence-based charity that feeds the hungry five days a week.

Centerplate led the production of the nachos, using Rico’s corn chips, ground beef, salsa, beans, nacho cheese and freshly made pico de gallo. Centerplate and The Salty Iguana then added their culinary expertise to make sure the nachos were fresh, flavorful and delicious. They used a total of 860 pounds of nacho cheese topped off with 200 pounds of Salty Iguana’s famous Iguana Dip, 600 pounds of fresh salsa, tomatoes and cilantro, 860 pounds of beef, 1,200 pounds of beans, 315 pounds of jalapenos and 600 pounds of tortilla chips for a total of 4,450 pounds of mouth-watering nachos.

“I got here early and I saw them putting it all together today,” said Leavenworth High School coach Willis Willmeth. “I wasn’t sure how it would all work, but it’s great! I hope they raise a lot of money, it’s a great cause. The nachos are really good. There are a lot of different ingredients in it and I am enjoying it!”

About Centerplate
Centerplate crafts and delivers "Craveable Experiences. Raveable Results." in over 250 prominent entertainment, sports and convention venues across North America – annually serving over 100 million guests. Centerplate has provided event hospitality services to 15 official U.S. Presidential Inaugural Balls, 13 Super Bowls, 20 World Series, the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the largest plated dinner in history at the Alpha Kappa Alpha Centennial Celebration. The company was recently named the fastest growing hospitality group in the country by Nation’s Restaurant News. http://www.centerplate.com/ 

About L.I.N.K. Kitchen
L.I.N.K. (Lawrence Interdenomintational Nutrition Kitchen) has been in existence since 1985, providing a pleasant, safe place for the hungry or lonely to share a free, nutritious meal and the companionship of one another. We believe loneliness can be as painful as hunger, companionship as powerful as love. Anyone who desires a meal is served, no questions asked. Diners are treated as our invited guests. Our focus is on food and fellowship. http://www.linklawrence.org/ 

About The Salty Iguana
The Salty Iguana has been a longtime partner of Kansas Athletics as well as the Kansas Relays. With five locations across Lawrence and the Kansas City Metro Area, Salty Iguana is unlike any other Mexican restaurant where customers are guaranteed great food, atmosphere and most importantly, service. The Salty Iguana has teamed up with Kansas Athletics for philanthropic events around Lawrence for many years now, but perhaps none other more important than the nacho event this year that will benefit L.I.N.K. http://www.saltyiguana.net/newsite2/