Food competitions in Toronto are for those who like a little fanfare with their grotesquely oversized meals. While there are some eating challenges in the city that can be taken upon on a whim, the competitions listed here are highly organized spectator events that typically offer big rewards to winners. So mark your calenders and adjust your daily caloric intake accordingly.

Here are 8 food competitions in Toronto.

Smoke's Poutinerie
This is "the" competition as far as gluttony goes. Smoke's Poutinerie hosts an annual "World Poutine Eating Championship" in Toronto, a competition that is almost as hard to watch as it is to win. (Okay, that's really not true at all.) The 2012 winner took home $5,000 after putting away 9.5 pounds of poutine in 10 minutes, while onlookers quietly walked away clutching their own stomachs. Kudos, brave eaters.

Burger's Priest
As an unabashed Burger's Priest addict, this is my dream competition. Albeit, one that I would likely fail miserably. Burger's Priest uptown hosted its "Ultimate Burger Eating Contest" this past July, a competition that will hopefully become an annual event. Participants were challenged to eat a burger of 12 beef patties, 12 slices of cheese, plus various toppings and condiments, with the incentive being a trip to Mexico and a $250 gift card. And 12 Burger's Priest burgers, of course.

Udupi Palace
This is a challenge of both speed and strength. The annual Spicy Dosa Eating Contest arranged by Udupi Palace tasks iron-stomach contenders to take on the spicy crepe, aided only by bottles of water and the resolve not to start crying in front of a room full of strangers. Winners receive a $100 gift card, a trophy, and a picture on the Udupi Palace contest page.

Mucho Burrito
Fairly new to the extreme-eating scene, Mucho Burrito just held its first annual "Ghost Pepper Burrito Eating Contest" this past fall, daring potentially masochistic burrito-enthusiasts to take on burritos laced with Naga Bhut Jolokia — also known as the ghost pepper. The first and second-place winners took home $2,500 and a year of free burritos respectively, along with (most likely) a giant bottle of Pepto.

Ceili Cottage
200 oysters in under three minutes — how appetizing. Ceili Cottage is home to the Canadian Oyster Eating Championship each August, a competition whereby participants slurp back as many oysters as they can. For some reason. The winner is treated to a trip to Ireland and the opportunity to participate in the world oyster championships.

Piola
Now, here's an odd one. Piola in Toronto has put our collective affinity for gnocchi to the test, hosting its first-ever gnocchi-eating competition this past August. Challengers were dared to eat as much gnocchi as possible in 10 minutes with a 1963 Vespa going to the ultimate winner. Steven Dorgo ended up putting away a total of 2.4kg of gnocchi.

Shamrock Burgers
If you're more of a Shamrock Burger-fan than a Burger's Priest-devotee, you might want to try out for Shamrock's World Monster Sham Eating Championship. The Scarborough joint just wrapped up its first-ever challenge, daring participants to eat as many Monster Sham burgers (with two 10oz patties, bacon, and cheese) in 10 minutes. The year's winner managed to scarf down 60oz of beef.

Taste of Asia Festival
The type of competition food might change from year to year, but the concept is always the same: eat as much Korean rice, bibimbap, noodles, or whatever else as possible in a limited amount of time, and take home a prize (hopefully a big one).

Photo from our coverage of the 2012 World Poutine Eating Championship