LOOKING at Takeru Kobayashi’s slim frame, one hardly suspects that he can eat more than several men combined. In a compact frame that approximates 127 lbs. (according to his official website), he has stuffed himself full with 110 hotdogs, more than a hundred rice balls, 62 slices of pizza, and all other sorts of food, from pork buns to hamburgers, all within a span of a few minutes. Mr. Kobayashi has thus set several world records for himself, such as most hotdogs eaten in a span of 10 minutes.
In 2001, Mr. Kobayashi set his first world record when he ate 50 hotdogs in 12 minutes in New York, at Nathan’s Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest, when the previous record was 25.
Mr. Kobayashi was in Manila last week for History Con 2017, joining stars from the History channel. There, BusinessWorld sat with him and talked about his techniques, as well as the hidden thrills of stuffing yourself silly.
He was born in Nagano, Japan, in 1978, and according to his website, he lacked any outstanding talents – though downing 10 bottles of milk at school should probably count for something.
He doesn’t gain much weight, and is actually quite trim.
When asked how he trains for competitions, he said, “Three months before the competition, I drink a lot of water,” which stretches his stomach and increases its capacity. His interpreter said that he drinks water, slowly increasing its volume, until he can drink three gallons in 90 seconds.
“Right before the competition, I practice with hotdogs,” he said, and other foodstuffs – his other tips include folding a pizza in half, and eating the soft parts first, then moving on to the crust. “He will practice each food,” said his interpreter. “If it’s hotdogs, he practices how close his face is to the table, how fast his hand should reach, should the hotdog be sideways?”
“I have to chew first,” he said with a slight giggle. “I try not to chew a lot.”
When asked how he doesn’t increase in size, he said, “I don’t eat that much normally.”
While competitive eating may not be considered a sport, Mr. Kobayashi’s efforts have somehow elevated stuffing yourself into at least a skill. He is a celebrity in his own right in Japan, and has been referenced in movies and TV shows such as The Simpsons.
Mr. Kobayashi, surprisingly, compares eating to the adrenaline rush runners get once they’ve completed a certain distance, often called runner’s high. His interpreter said, “It’s not comfortable to run that much, but there’s a point where you’re just addicted to it.” – JLG
