Happy New Year - 2015 Here We Come!

Happy New Year! 2014 was a memorable time. There's so much I could reflect upon, but I will focus on 3 things.

1) I didn't really live up to last year's goal of losing 10 lbs. That bothers me. Not as much as it should, but it bothers me. I suppose my new goal for 2015 should be to lose 20 lbs. We will see how well that works out.

2) With every passing year, I'm feeling more in my element as a high school teacher. This is a really good feeling. It's been seven years, so thankfully something is going right. I'd like to thank my students for helping me get better as the months and years go on. I couldn't do it without you guys and girls. Literally - they'd fire me if I didn't have students.

3) I need to enter more eating contests in 2015. That's not really a reflection, more so a statement. I didn't win a single contest in 2014. Sadly, I didn't enter many, so that makes this conclusion even more dire. Completed dozens of challenges, made some cool videos, like the ones linked in this post, but didn't win any contests. That's something to work on next year.

No new video for the new year - I'm afraid the ones I did the last two years will have to do for now. There's only so much one body can take in a week. The trip to Nashville was fun, but alas it was time to come home. More on that in the next post. Until then, have a safe new year and don't eat anything I wouldn't eat. 

I'm Back (2013)

Happy Halloween, Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. I've been remiss in my posts but the blog still exists. The urge to write endures and so I shall return.

As usual, the subject will probably be eating challenges - things look bright in 2013, and already I have plans to take on several large challenges all the way from Los Angeles to Orange County to San Diego. There may even be a detour to Las Vegas for a 120 oz steak and a few burgers.

This Sunday, I team with Jamie McDonald, Damon Wells, and Kevin Ross to take on an old nemesis: the huge 54"x54" pizza at Big Mama and Papa's Pizzeria in Burbank. We will be joined by two fellow Wreckless Eaters seeking revenge. Wish us well! Happy times and full stomachs await.

97 and 3

A tabulation of my restaurant challenges for the year 2011 returned a figure of 100. The number came as a surprise. I didn't think it would be that high, but statstics don't lie. 97 of them were answered successfully while the remaining 3 required two tries to get it right.

So which challenges did I fail? Well, two of them were mentioned recently. There was the 36" team pizza at Big Mama and Papa's Pizzeria in Los Angeles, as well as the 5 lb Bikkuri Don Bowl at Wakasaya in Little Tokyo. The third was the 5 lb cheesesteak challenge at McGonagle's in San Diego.

Two bites in, I blocked up my throat with cheesesteak as I pushed myself to go at top speed. That was an incredibly disappointing finish. Management called a disqualification as I cleared my throat with a full plate of food. During my revenge tour I went more slowly and cautiously toward a victory.

A 97% success rate isn't perfect, but I won't complain. This count of 100 challenges does not include contests or my 20K calorie bowl, or similarly non-sanctioned challenges. The count only includes eating challenges sanctioned by restaurants in which a refund or prize was offered for finishing the food in question.

It was a big year. My most publicized challenge of the year was the 4 lb Brahma Bull sandwich at Rib Line in San Luis Obispo, CA. which was showcased on Man v Food Nation. My favorite challenge was the 120 oz steak at the Brand Steakhouse in Las Vegas, NV.

I've had several days in which I completed two challenges, and in one instance I managed to complete three. My biggest single challenge of the year was probably the 28" 2-topping pizza at Valentini Pizza in Victorville, weighing in at 12 lbs.

My most controversial challenge was the 10-12 lb Phozilla bowl at Pho 87. The restaurant refused to give me the prize jackpot after labeling me a "professional eater" and citing my appearance on Man v Food. Then, the restaurant listed my name on the website as a challenge winner and then just as mysteriously pulled it down. At least they agreed to refund my $32 for the challenge.

Well.. it's been a year. I met several new eaters (The Spicialist, Mary Bowers, Juan Rodriguez, Chris Wreckless), deepened friendships with others, debuted on Wreckless Eating and had a background role on Bones.

In a change of pace, I've created a video compiling my challenges for 2011 and forecasting a banner year ahead.

Happy New Year.

Looking Back to 2010

Well, 2010 is over. Happy New Year.

Last year was full of ups and downs. This blog began with an emphasis on mass consumption, and it will stay that way. My comments here will not stray into economics, roadside photography, or professional wrestling.

As far as eating went, 2010 was my most eventful year. Exact counts aren't available, but I participated in nearly 60 restaurant eating challenges and organized contests. That's a ton. We aren't even counting buffets, random restaurants, and meals-at-home-gone-out-of-control. I need to dial it back a bit in 2011.

2010 was a great experience overall. I met several new eating personalities, reconnected with people previously known to me, learned to consume more quickly, and pushed myself to put away more.

Some challenges fell. Others remain standing (damn you.... Big Mike's 36" cheesesteak and Wakasaya's Bikkuri Don).

In 2011, my basic plan is to focus on larger challenges. This will probably mean less frequent participation, but that's no big deal. Eating happens everyday. And, there's still plenty of past experiences to write about.

The next post will be about the 28" Red Devil Team Pizza Challenge in Granada Hills. There's a lot coming after that... not sure about sequencing, but it's in there somewhere.

It was an honor to be selected as a candidate for eatfeats.com's "Male Competitive Eating Challenger of 2010," but there's still a long way to go for me. My cousin once told me: "As long as you impress yourself, you don't need to worry about anyone else." I never forgot his words.

Let the consumption continue.