Big Food Favorites on YouTube - Part One

For no reason at all, here's a run through of 5 favorite old videos I've done. Have you seen them all?

 

Hershey’s Ultimate Chocolate Lovers Challenge - I tried to eat 15 chocolates while lying down. Smart? You decide?

Jay Leno Challenge - I tried to complete the Fatburger Triple Kingburger Challenge faster than Jay Leno, who apparently did it in five minutes flat.

 

McDonalds 20 Hamburger Challenge- so I spent one night trying to eat 20 normal hamburgers. But don't tell me you didn't try to do the same thing at least once in your life!

Cinco de Mayo Challenge - I try to eat 5 jars of mayonnaise, which is just plain idiocy.
 

 



And finally, there was the Burger King Menu Eaten in 3 Minutes... I mean, the Dollar Menu Eaten in 3 minutes. I'm proud of this one.

 

 

I'm proud of all of my video work, but this just really tickled my fancy - looking back. Hope you enjoy em! Stay in School, Don't Do Drugs, and Eat Like a Freak!

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.

First Oregon Trail: Day Two

The morning after eating 7 lbs of chicken was difficult. Thankfully Salem, OR has a 24 Hour Fitness location and I was able to energize my body with a strong cardiovascular workout.

An energy drink helped jolt my body as well. The original plans for Day Two included tackling the 11 lb Greek Deli Challenge at the Mad Greek Deli in Portland, but those plans had to be scrapped. Turns out the challenge needs at least 3 days' notice and the presence of the owner. That wouldn't be possible on this journey. I negotiated with both locations to no avail.

So, it was time to find some replacement challenges. The first stop on the dock was Voodoo Doughtnut Two, in Portland. I went with Aaron Wakamatsu and I ate their 1 lb Texass Dougnut. Though there is an 80 second challenge attached to it, I opted to simply eat it for fun and without liquid. Aaron decided to eat a very spicy Voodoo doll.



It was a little harder than I might have believed, but delicious. Aaron entertained many of the customers there with his spicy antics.

After that, we decided to sample the 5 lb Poutine Challenge at the Original Dinerant in Portland. I'd never eaten poutine before, but as I described it later - it was like chili cheese fries but with gravy instead of chili. They served it on a butcher's block for presentation purposes. I wasn't sure how to approach it, but decided to be neat and use a fork.

The staff told me that there were 2 or 3 previous victors. You get 30 minutes to devour the entire dish, but I needed fewer than nine. By all measures that was a new record. My method was simple, taking manageable bites and using warm water to chase them down. Probably the most comical moment came when the server realized that I hadn't signed a waiver, and stopped me mid-challenge to put my signature to it. That was about 7 minutes in, and though it messed with my rhythm did not ruin the spirit of the endeavor. What a tasty meal, by the way.



Aaron didn't opt for poutine, but instead sampled their spicy peanut butter ice cream (they have over a dozen flavors on the menu at any time). Of course, "The Spicochist" didn't find it hot enough so he embellished it with his own sauces.

Most people might be satisfied with a huge doughnut and a crazy poutine record. We decided that day two of "Oregon Mania" needed something a bit different to cap it off. Aaron, master of spice and interesting restaurants, led me to a place we discussed many times... Salt N Straw Ice Cream, also in downtown Portland.

My captivation with the place stemmed from one of the seasonal flavors: Sweet Heat Apricot Ice Cream, featuring candied scotch bonnet peppers. Wow! How often do you find ice cream with peppers in it? I'd only ever heard of such a thing. Never saw it up close, so I chose to buy a whole pint and make my own challenge out of it.



Aaron went for a normal serving and spiced it up to hell, as you can observe in the video. My portion - though mildly insane - allowed me to enjoy the magic of candied peppers. The sugar completely neutralized the heat and all I felt was a mild spark here and there. On the other hand, the apricot flavor was sweet and delectable. I almost wish they had a gallon bucket available.

The biggest challenge was using a plastic spoon to eat rock solid ice cream. Well... I struggled mightily but found an alternative plan. It was a great choice overall, and a nice way to end the second day of an epic trip.

First Oregon Trail: Day One

Over Memorial Day weekend (May 2012), I made my first "eating challenge" trip to Oregon. I met up with food blogger and spice master Aaron Wakamatsu. We traveled between Corvallis, Salem, and Portland, documenting a 4-day challenge march that culminated in four successful restaurant challenges and lots of food besides.

Day One saw me visit "Burrito Boy" in Eugene and eat their 1.25+ lb lengua burrito for fun, which I followed up with a successful 7 lb Lucky Seven Chicken Dinner at China Blue in Corvallis (with a prize pot that paid for my whole journey). We capped things off with a cookie covered in some of Aaron's hottest sauces that he carries around whenever he eats.



A very promising first day. The chicken dinner was the hardest part, and toward the end it was a struggle to get through. Too much protein. Chewing, water, and just forcing it down. At least I had fuel for the for the gym the next morning.

Candied Peppers

I'm a sucker for novelty food products. Salt & Straw, with two locations in Portland, features special flavors of ice cream every month.

Last month, when I was traversing Oregon, one of those seasonal flavors was "Sweet Heat Apricot." The sweet heat comes from candied scotch bonnet peppers. Scotch bonnets pack a punch, but after being all sugared up you can hardly tell. The apricot was balanced.

I visited the shop with Aaron Wakamatsu and we went to town. He got a sensible portion, and the quart for $8 called my name. Video upcoming.

Casket Full of Confection

Would you eat a coffin filled with dougnuts? I know I would. At Voodoo Doughnut in Portland, OR, you can get such a coffin for $100.

They'll even let you keep the coffin. It sounds like a great way to spend Halloween. Or, any other day of the year for that matter.

And while you're here, check out my video from the last time I visited their shop.

Farrells Ice Cream Heating Up Summer

The 3rd installment of Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor's annual Ice Cream Eating Challenge returns this July. As usual, it is a charity event benefiting Children's Hospital of Orange County. The contest itself is going to be a little different this year. For one thing, the championship is going to be contested on the street outside the new downtown Brea location. The other exciting element is the development of a "professional eater" category.

Eaters will qualify for the professional category by consuming a "Pig Trough" during the qualifier period (pictured above, basically a large banana split). At the final, contestants will be required to eat a 6 lb Zoo Sundae. The pro division will also offer a cash prize for the first time in the contest's history.

Matt "Sweet Tooth" Cohen won the 2011 Farrell's Ice Cream Eating Challenge last Summer. He's moving into the new professional division as its defending champion. Matt's skill with sweet, dairy, and cold is well-known, but no doubt other contenders will step up to battle him in 2012.



The qualifying period for all categories of the contest begins June 18 and runs through July 8. Finals will be held on July 15, 2012 in Brea.

More details will be released shortly. Do you have what it takes to become the 2012 Farrell's Ice Cream Eating Champion?

Not All Foods Created Alike!

Sometimes I have to stop posting about my challenges, and do a little bit of thinking.

It's rare, but it happens. A little thought is a dangerous thing. In Socrates' case, it got him killed. I'm not going to take my philosophy to that level, but it's a good idea to think about the things you do. It makes you better. Even something as mundane as eating requires a strategy.

Going about anything without putting a thought behind it is a hard road to nowhere. And I don't intend on middling on to oblivion. I detest obscurity. Excellence requires an idea.

Each type of food poses its own difficulty for consumption. Some foods are a lot easier to chew and swallow than others. Some foods are easy to consume in massive doses. Others - not so much.

Take ice cream. It's pretty easy to eat - much easier than steak or pizza. You put it in your mouth, negotiate it a little bit, and swallow. Repeat as necessary. I once took down two massive ice cream challenges in a period of five hours. The weight consumed in that time frame was about 9 lbs. I don't think I would have succeeded in eating the same amount of hamburger meat or bread in five hours.

Ice cream does pose problems though. It is usually milk-based - so naturally I felt a little bit nauseated from all the lactose I threw into my system. It's also incredibly cold when served, so you might have to stop every once in a while to overcome brain freeze. Then there's the issue of "freezing" your mouth. It's a good idea to have some hot water handy when attempting to eat loads of ice cream. I've learned from experience that massive loads of ice cream can make your teeth ache.

Meats require more careful chewing, especially if you're hoping to avoid any choking scenarios. All that chewing will make you tired and irritable. I have a feeling that people often give up on large steak/burger challenges simply because they lack the stamina and jaw endurance to go on. I've never eaten a set portion of meat larger than 44 oz, and let me tell you, it takes a lot more out of you than eating the cold stuff!

Breads, starches and other carbohydrates (rice, tortillas, pizza crust, pancakes) are the toughest of all in my opinion. These foods tend to expand in your gut, and it's tough to go on when you feel that you're about to burst. Fiber-rich foods are also extremely filling. Avoid whole-wheat challenges at all costs!

Joking aside, it is common practice for serious eaters to soak breads in water to ease the chewing process. This may help, but it makes a huge mess. It also causes you to take in more fluid than usual, thereby taking up precious space in the stomach cavity that might be needed later on.

Fruits and vegetables seem easy to eat, but I have no experience eating them en masse. I'm not about to try, either, because I can only imagine the effects on my digestive tract.

Liquids are easier than solids, since you can drink 8 lbs (roughly one gallon of water) a lot faster than you can bite, chew, and swallow it in food form. Many people (not me) have successfully drank a gallon of milk or water in under a minute. You'll never achieve that rate with pure solids.

Finally, it's always more difficult to eat a food in large quantities. You really get sick of the taste, especially if it wasn't that appealing to begin with. Nothing tastes good forever - it's just the law of diminishing returns. The first bite of pizza may taste like Heaven, but the last bites will always taste like Hell. It's harder to eat when you're full. Your body's telling you to stop, but the competitive mind urges you to fight on.

All this thinking is making me tired - and hungry. I'm going to go eat.

A Reflection on Eating Challenges

A few days ago, I decided to compile a list of all the eating challenges I’ve ever attempted in the past few years. I thought about posting it here in its entirety, but I felt that it would bore most people out of their minds.

My goal is to entertain people with pictures and stories of what I do. I don’t really need to toot my own horn. I know that I’ve completed many challenges. I know that some of my successful challenges were supremely difficult.

Then again, the whole point of having a blog dedicated to eating challenges is to toot my own horn. I want my “accomplishments” to be known. I don’t want people coming away thinking, “This guy just started. This guy’s unknown. He hasn’t done anything worth my attention. Why should I read anything he has to say?”

Sigh… it’s a balancing act on my part. I imagine at some point in the future I will post my challenges list, in whole or in several parts. For now I would like to take a moment and reflect upon what I do.

To put it simply, I like to test my ability to consume large portions of food. Restaurants help this habit along by offering ridiculously oversized meal items that I happily order and try to consume.

Whatever the psychology behind it is, I feel a sense of accomplishment at being able to completely devour meals that 4-6 persons would find difficult to share. I could call it finding my skill – my niche. A few weeks ago, while at a buffet, I casually noticed that I consumed more food than the family of six seated next to me.

So why do restaurants offer these oversized meals at all? Why do they present “eat-it-all-and-it’s-free” promotions?

 

"521 Burger"

Obviously, nobody needs to consume 44-oz of hamburger meat in sitting…. or 6 pounds or burrito. There’s no way your body can make use of all the nutrients contained in the food. In most individuals, the result would be digestive issues and weight gain. The vast majority of eaters would not even succeed in the task at hand.

Eating establishments sell monumental portions, I believe, to generate business. There’s a chance that people might come from miles away to visit a restaurant that sells a humungous hamburger or a mountainous ice cream sundae. I can testify from experience to this possibility!

Secondly, the “eat-it-all-for-free” promotion is usually a sucker’s bet. Very few people are capable of finishing the portion sizes presented by a restaurant for a challenge. The eating establishment makes lots of money on the failed trials. Successes are few and far between – the free food actually given out pales in comparison to the generated business. Restaurants potentially make a killing off eating challenges. At the very least, it’s a good advertising gimmick.

 

I don’t mind so much, because I’ve actually managed to eat many a meal on the house.

Of course, I don’t need the incentive of a free meal to take on an eating ‘challenge.’ I’ve consumed some meals for small prizes, such as a free hat or t-shirt, or my picture on the restaurant’s “Wall of Fame.” The restaurants get an even better deal here, since the ‘free’ merchandise or a photograph is less costly than the food they sell.

I’ve also consumed many grotesque meals that did not offer a prize of any kind. I consider any huge item of food a challenge! I could probably conclude that eating is a bit like the sport of hunting: the thrill is in the chase. We eat for the sake of digestive conquest. There’s no greater motivation required.

At this point, I’ve attempted 61 total ‘challenges’ and completed 55 of them for a total success rate of 90.2%. For me, failure to consume has been a rare event. I see failure as an enticement to push harder next time around. And I always do.

Many challenges still lie ahead of me.

I have not yet begun to eat!

Why I Do This

I like to eat. I like to eat a lot.

I don't think I can make it any simpler than that.

Ever since I was in high school, friends and family have always commented on my ability to pack away a lot of food.

People used to say, "You should become a pro eater." I actually had no idea what that was. It wasn't until recently - maybe five or six years ago - that I remotely knew who Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi were.

Of course, I don't eat like those guys. Running through 65 hot dogs in 10 minutes isn't my thing. I can't eat that obscenely fast, for one, and to be honest I like to enjoy my food. I'm a high-capacity eater. I go the distance.

It probably isn't normal for anyone to sit down and eat 6-8 pounds of food. It's probably not normal for anyone to eat for two hours straight.

But this is what I do. I eat for fun. I eat for sport.

I'm not a "professional" eater -- I don't earn any money doing this. I would call myself a competitor. I'm always pushing myself to eat more, eat faster, to take down that restaurant challenge that no one's done yet... to eat until the server at the buffet notices my stack of dirty plates and begs me to leave.

Until recently, I didn't even know that restaurants had challenges.

This burger's free if I can eat it all in an hour?















No way! Sign me up!

I've made a hobby of this.... finding restaurants with challenges, venturing out to them, and accomplishing the task. This blog is really my attempt to document this pursuit.

I think myself of as an independent competitive eater. No organization backs me up. It's just me against the food in front of me. Some days I win (okay, most days I win), some days I lose, but I always have a good time... and plenty of tales to go around.

This is my story.

Call me.... the Freak8R.