Adelaide’s growing appetite for culinary challenges
IT’S the monstrous fad that keeps on growing.
Supersized eating challenges are hitting Adelaide’s food scene as customers seek out foodie quests similar to those seen on YouTube and the reality show Man vs. Food.
O’Connell St eatery Chuck Wagon is known for its Commando burger challenge, in which the challenger must try to eat a burger with six patties, 12 pieces of cheese and six rashers of bacon, all within 20 minutes.
What makes up the commando burger.
Chuck Wagon manager Sam Veevers said the popularity of the challenge had grown over the past year.
“We have more and more people coming in — we get maybe 10 people a week doing it,” she said.
“A lot of people reference Man vs. Food when they come in for the challenge and I’m pretty sure that was the original owner’s inspiration for it.”
Those who fail to finish the burger and a side of chips get featured on the Wall of Shame and pay $40. Those who conquer the burger get a spot on the Wall of Fame and don’t pay a cent.
About one in 20 completed the challenge, Ms Veevers said.
“About 99 per cent of the people who do the challenge are guys, but we have had a few girls … one did it in about 13 minutes, then she asked for dessert.”
Other foodie feats around town include the giant pizza Man Challenge 3.0 (Duke of York), Man vs. Schnit (Schnithouse) and the 2kg steak “Hunter Games Challenge” (The Little Hunter).
Benjamin Pavier, a barman at The Little Hunter in the city, said having a food challenge on the menu was a “unique selling point”.
“I suppose it’s just a bit of fun, isn’t it — and if you can’t finish it, everybody else can sit down after and share in the meal as well,” he said.
Accredited practising dietitian Gabriella Heruc said eating challenges encouraged people to “ignore their appetite signals” and eat beyondnutritional requirements.
“Physically it’s putting a huge burden on the body and it’s stretching the stomach beyond where it’s supposed to be,” she said.
Ms Heruc, who specialises in disordered eating, said these challenges also promoted binge-eating.
“My advice to a person contemplating a food challenge would be to be mindful about the decision they’re making going into that ... they need to think about why they’re doing it,” she said.
Originally published as Adelaide rising to new food challenges
Source: Perth Now - The Advertiser, Sophie Perri, July 7th 2015
