Challenges and competitions involving food have been around for hundreds of years. People would show how much they can eat by challenging themselves or others to take on massive amounts of food. Some challenges/competitions are speed-based, and contestants have to see how fast they can take down food while following the rules of the challenge/competition.
Eating contests have also been popular for a very long time. Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest has been active for over 100 years and takes place in New York City, New York. The event is held each year on July 4th by Major League Eating (MLE).
In 2008, food challenges would change forever when the Travel Channel premiered their show "Man v. Food." In this series, host Adam Richman would travel the country to restaurants that host food challenges.
In the intro to the show, Adam mentions that he is not a competitive eater, just a guy who has a serious appetite. Adam took on a variety of foods on the show, from giant burgers to breakfast platters to the hottest wings ever. Viewers could not get enough of watching Adam taking on massive amounts of food.
According to mashed.com, Richman left Man v. Food after the fourth season with 37 wins and 22 losses. The show was popular and inspired many to attempt their own food challenges and find restaurants that hosted them. There also was an increase in restaurants hosting food challenges across the United States and the world.
After Man v. Food aired, food challenges started making their way onto the internet and social media. People would upload videos of themselves taking on food challenges and eating contests. These videos became increasingly popular, with some content creators achieving over one million subscribers.
Around this time, websites started listing food challenges online and where to find them.
• Foodchallenges.com launched in 2014 and is the first to list strategies and tips for taking on food challenges. They also feature a searchable map that lists over 3,000 food challenges.
• Eatfeats.com launched in 2005 and features news, events, and a database for all things food challenges and competitive eating.
There have also been many world records documented by Guinness World Records involving food and drink.
The history of food challenges and competitive eating is truly fascinating. With the ever-evolving world of the internet and social media, food challenges and eating contests continue to increase in popularity. I can't wait to see what it will be like in the next ten years. We'll be watching!