Often find that your eyes are bigger than your belly? Most of us of course do, but for some brave and rather questionable souls across the world today, overeating is not something to be avoided, but instead to be celebrated and indeed rewarded.
So, we’ve all heard of the local hot dog eating contest set up by amateur groups looking for a little light entertainment at the weekend, but for those looking for something a little more impressive/stomach-turning, this selection of the top 10 professional eating achievements might serve as food for thought…pun definitely intended:
10 Cheese
More of an addition or an ingredient to most of us than a foodstuff to chow down on in its own right, cheese has nonetheless found its way into the ranks of competitive eating alongside the more conventional staples – albeit in sandwich form. As of now, the world record for grilled cheese sandwich eating is held by a Mr. Joey Chestnut, who in 10 minutes somehow managed to down no less than 47.
And yes, there really is a world record for everything these days.
9 Butter
Yes, butter. Not butter used in an item to be eaten, but plain and simple butter. Even the very best friends and closest family of Don Lerman would likely have looked at him differently for the rest of his life, albeit a perhaps modestly shortened life, after he chomped down one and three-quarter pounds of pure butter in less than five minutes.
And yes, the answer still on everyone’s lips today is…why?
For massive kudos and cholesterol all in one day?
8 Donuts
Moving now on to something most of us would likely be happy to eat in reasonably large quantities, donuts. Of course, we’d also likely be limited to how many we could get down out necks in eight minutes…maybe two or three if feeling really greedy? Well, heavyweight competitive eater Eric Booker went considerably more than one better, by swallowing up 49 in a record that has now stood for almost a decade.
I certainly will not be the one to attempt to break it, and neither should you be.
7 Spam
A guilty pleasure of mine but nothing other than canned hell to much of the world, Spam is often seen as something that would be eaten with apprehension even in small quantities…so why on Earth would anyone want to quaff the stuff on a titanic scale?
No answer to that particular question but this is exactly what Dick LeFevre did, munching down on six whole pounds of the chopped meat treat directly from the tin in 12 minutes.
His bragging rights are often the subject of debate.
6 Chili
An old favorite that was once again brought back to the big-leagues of professional gluttony, the World Chili Eating Championship is now held each year in Washington DC on Columbus Day…and what better way to celebrate such a momentous occasion?
This year’s winner was a name already featured on a list by way of Mr. Joey Chestnut himself, who along with destroying grilled cheese sandwiches at record pace is also able to gobble down chili to the tune of no less than two gallons in six minutes.
His reward? $1,250 in cash, which should just about cover the antacid bill.
5 Burgers
Takeru Kobayashi may not be a name that easily rolls off the tongues of most, though is synonymous with legendary achievements in the world of competitive eating. Not only did this particular chap hold the world hot dog eating record for no less than six years, but he also managed to set a new record by polishing off 93 (yes 93!) hamburgers in eight minutes at the 2009 Krystal Square Off.
Speechless…
4 Mayonnaise (?)
Again, this particular record has to be met with the very same ‘Why?’ factor as the earlier butter listing, as indeed, when on Earth would anyone choose to push themselves in the world of competitive mayonnaise consumption? Well, whatever the reason it does indeed happen, with the title currently being held by Oleg Zhornitskiy who for reasons that remain unknown was able to stomach over 120 ounces in under eight minutes.
3 Pizza
Yes we’ve all thought from time to time that we could demolish the world’s biggest pizza and yes eating pizza on a professional level sounds fun on the surface, but there’s also one to take the whole thing to a truly ridiculous level…that being none other than our favorite Mr. Joey Chestnut again. So, how much pizza is too much pizza? Try 29 slices of the stuff in 10 minutes.
Oh, and just in case you were wondering, well over 10,000 calories in 10 minutes…
2 Pie
Pie, getting back to the eating contests we all know and love, there has long been a love affair with the traditional pie eating contest where it is more about speed and technique than plain and simple capacity. Of all places, the World Pie Eating Championship is now held each year in a rather modest bar in Wigan, England, where the usual hands-tied-behind-the-back requires a ‘skilled’ technique to devour the humble 5-inch wide, 1.5 inch deep pie – which recently has had a vegetarian option introduced.
The current record stands with one Mr. Neil Collier, who polished off his plate sans-hands in just over 23 seconds.
The 2007 competition was almost called off after a dog named Charlie decided to help himself to 20 pies while attacking 10 more in the course of the night prior to the event.
1 Hot Dogs
And finally, our number one had to be the old-faithful hot dog eating contest, which is just as popular and indeed silly today as it has been for generations. Testing gastric mettle with these lovely cylindrical sticks of ‘meat’ has for some reason captured our attention, with the best of the best heading for Coney Island on July 4th to showcase their skills to the world.
Again, what an incredible way to celebrate a nation’s freedom…(?)
So, with such an incredible worldwide spectacle and the potential for fame and notoriety the likes of which no other foodstuff in epic quantities can bring, guess who this year once again took the record for hot dog eating? Yep, Mr. Joey Chestnut once again, who further sealed his fame and reputation by taking just ten minutes to destroy 62 hot dogs and buns.
And once again, for anyone curious about the details, over 18,000 calories in 10 minutes in this occasion…which is nothing a 160 mile run shouldn’t take care of!
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