Finding the Best Meat Mug in the World

Antti Vedenpää and Harri Lehikoinen were disappointed at some of the meat mugs because they had salad hidden at the bottom. Photos by: Antti Sepponen

It's Sunday evening and four middle-aged men are gathered around a table in a pub. In front of them are seven mugs covered with tin foil. Each is filled with different kinds of kebab meat, sauces and salad. "Let's be honest with this one. It's donkey shit", says Antti Vedenpää who just ate some kebab meat from a 0,5-litre Pepsi meat mug, or Lihamuki as the Finns call it. Antti is one of four "Meat Mug Board Members" who are here to decide what mug with contents is considered to be the best in Lahti – and ultimately – the world. The other board members are Harri Lehikoinen, Kai Lindroos and Jani-Petteri Uhrman. Jani-Petteri holds the title as 2013's Meat Mug World Champion.

The reason for the board's gathering is the Meat Mug World Championship, organised by Antti and that will be held for the third time on Saturday. Thanks to Lahti Is a Paradise that VICE published last year, the meat mug has risen to national fame and Finnish mainstream media is suddenly cheering for the mug and its contents. Here, national media tend to focus a lot of energy on how Finland and the Finnish are portrayed outside the country's boarders. VICE's mention of Lahti accidently boosted the Finnish self-esteem. Probably because it was published right after mobile-giant Nokia sold its smartphone production to Microsoft, which became a national tragedy in a way. Even though the meat mug in itself isn't anything special, it has become a collective joke everyone can relate to. Also, it's the best 3AM-snack in the world.

One of the board members, Kai Lindroos.

This year the World Championship will be held in the Rooster Pub located in the city-centre of Lahti. The buzz around the mug has grown so big that it's currently on everybody's lips – literally. Will Antti's initiative mark Finland as a world-leader once again?

The moment of truth is near as the Meat Mug Board is ready to announce the best meat mug of 2014. A reporter and press photographer from Lahti-based regional newspaper Etelä-Suomen Sanomat are present. The flash is going mental and the reporter is ready with his pen.

"Is this something illegal or what is going on?" An old lady next to me suddenly yells, clearly under the influence.

Jani-Petteri Uhrman is currently the Meat Mug Champion.

The board has voted the meat mug from Jonen Grilli as the best. "The meat is OK, the sauce is really nice and there wasn't really any salad in it."

"No salad?"

"It's a meat mug, not a fucking meat-and-salad mug", says Antti. "Jone [the grill owner] will deliver the meat mugs for the World Championship", he then declares.

The board underlines that a meat mug isn't about quality kebab or meat. It's a matter of an "eating experience".

The kebab used in the meat mugs can be any kind of meat. There's pork with garlic sauce in the winner mug.

The rules of the Meat Mug World Championship are simple: One eats the meat as fast as one can. Then the meat has to be held inside the body for a minimum of 15 minutes. "It would be cheating if you just homp everything in, declare yourself a winner, and then gag it all out immediately", Antti explains. This year there are only three competitors taking part in the championship: Last year's champion Jani-Petteri, a local anonymous challenger, as well as a "world representative".

Apart from Jani-Petteri, it's unclear who the others are.

The local reporter writes notes to his memo as quickly as he can when he interviews the board members. It is vital for the paper to announce what grill serves the best meat mug in the city. Once the paper goes to print, Jone's only worry in the world will be to maintain the quality of his meat mugs and make sure they are as indestructible as Nokia's 3310s. "How do you want your meat mug? When is the meat mug at its best?", the reporter asks Jani-Petteri, who clearly is an expert in the field. "Usually I don't remember where I've ordered my meat mug. I tend to eat it the morning after so it has marinated in the fridge."

In fact, people tend to be piss-drunk when they get their mugs. "It's not the same to eat these when you're sober. You should be wasted as fuck to feel the spirit", Antti says. Everyone laughs and agrees.

Jonen Grilli's meat mugs were chosen the best of 2014. You can have your own culinary experience for €6,50.

Although the board members seem to be taking the Lihamuki pretty seriously, the Meat Mug World Championship was initially meant to be taken lighthearted. For example, the event has never had a single foreign competitor even though the name suggests it has. "The closest foreigner yet is our champion who is born in Stockholm, Sweden. There have been some people applying from Europe, but they've always chickened out", Antti says.

It appears as if the Meat Mug World Championship has grown to become a spectacle and is now a matter of national concern.

The World Championship is held during the hardcore punk festival Roosterfest. Rooster Pub is a small room for a handful of people. "Next year I'm going to separate the Meat Mug World Championship from Roosterfest and make it an event of its own", Antti dreams. "The joke has already gotten out of hand and been exaggerated so it'd be stupid to stop now. Let's hit the pedal and go all the way", he laughs.

The Meat Mug World Championship will be held tomorrow, Saturday February the 22nd, at Rooster Pub in Lahti, Finland.