WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The big tournament is not just about basketball in Wichita this year —it’s also about Jell-O shots.
Inspired by the famous College World Series Jell-O Shot Challenge in Omaha, a pair of local restaurant owners have turned the NCAA Tournament into a spirited battle fo
r bragging rights.
Jeff Knott, owner of The Depot Pizza and Taps, along with Natasha Gandhi-Rue, owner of The Kitchen, have teamed up with a local alcohol manufacturer, Owner of One Life Spirits, Bryce Lob, to create a competition where college basketball fans can show their school spirit — one Jell-O shot at a time.
“Just a fun thing to get different crowds competitive and have some fun with it,” Knott said.
That “fun” included seven hours of preparation to make 5,000 Jell-O shots, which filled the walk-in coolers of both restaurants.
“A picture of our walk-in — we had walls of Jell-O shots setting up. It was crazy,” said Gandhi-Rue.
On the first night of the competition, Drake University fans took an early lead, but the race is far from over. With each round of the NCAA Tournament, the Jell-O leaderboard shifts as fans from different schools rally behind their teams.
Some fans see their Jell-O shot success as a good omen for their team’s championship hopes.
“Having University of Houston win a Jell-O shot competition here in Wichita, and preparing for the Round of 32 — hopefully it’s a sign of good things to come,” said Chance Baker, a Houston alum.
Others, like Texas Tech alum Alejandro Gonzalez, count on their school’s drinking experience to lead them to victory.
“Having been to school in Lubbock, we can definitely win the Jell-O shot competition because we have a lot of experience drinking over there. We can definitely beat any school, just like in March Madness,” Gonzalez said.
With fans embracing the competition, Knott hopes this Jell-O shot showdown becomes a Wichita tradition whenever the NCAA Tournament comes to town.
“With all these schools still here, it’s a tough race,” Knott said. “We have a long way to get to the Omaha one, but 5,000 Jell-O shots — winner takes all.”
Whether it’s basketball or Jell-O shots, one thing is clear — Wichita fans know how to compete. ...read more read less
