Cranston's Stephen Aiello won an all-expense-paid trip to Montana from Ted's Montana Grill in a national contest. He took second place in the Ted's Montana Grill Burger FANatics contest for his original song and performance video You Can Find Me At Ted's. The contest was held in March and drew more than 6,500 entries.
Aiello describes himself as "a singer/guitarist/songwriter" who dabbles in video editing. His video was shot both in the restaurant which is in Cranston's Chapel View shopping center and outside with the eatery in the background. He had no problem securing permission to shoot the video as he did it while buying a meal for himself and his friends.
"The employees were very nice and they encouraged me to film because I told them I was entering the contest," he said.
He is excited about the trip to Montana even though he's been there before. "Hopefully this trip will give me a chance to relax and take in the views of one of the most beautiful parts of the country," he said, adding "and maybe I'll get a burger while I'm there."
First place netted a Georgia couple a Toyota Prius for their video acting out a couple on a bison budget. Third place won a Georgia pair free food for a year at Ted's. Every entrant in the contest received a free burger certificate.
Aiello's favorite burger is the Green & Hot with guacamole, jalapeños and Monterey Jack cheese. He is a big fan of bison burgers for their distinct, almost smoky flavor.
"I believe it’s healthier for you than beef," he said.
Bison burgers indeed do have a better nutritional profile than beef, with more iron and a lot less fat. Bison meat contains 2.42 grams of fat, 143 calories, and 82 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams of cooked lean meat, according to the National Bison Association. Comparatively, beef has 9.28 grams of fat, 211 calories, and 86 milligrams of cholesterol. Skinless chicken has 7.41 grams of fat, 190 calories, 89 milligrams of cholesterol.