Adam Rich, Host of Man V. Food Wants to Know: Are You Hungry For More???

A fan of the Travel Channel show Man v. Food, I was secretly hoping to have my own food challenge with host Adam Richman. The challenge would be a frozen yogurt face-off complete with unlimited toppings – sprinkles, wet walnuts, Reese’s Pieces, cookie dough, chocolate syrup– and a giant spoon. A frozen yogurt fanatic, I have been eating copious amounts of the frozen dairy dessert in all different sizes, brands and flavors most of my life so I was ready for battle. Luckily for Richman, he was busy filming the show in Houston, so our challenge will just have to wait. Nevertheless, Richman and I did get a chance to talk food with The Boulevard – about his fighting spirit, how he trains before a match, what it feels like when he just can’t take another bite and what is next for this high-energy, enthusiastic and extremely likable character on one of Travel Channel’s most popular shows.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Richman is more than just a funny guy with a big appetite; he is a trained actor who graduated from the Yale School of Drama. During his years as an undergrad at Emory University as a student of international studies, he kept a food journal documenting the restaurants he traveled to and what he learned from each trip. His passion for food led him to various jobs in the food industry.

 “Going to Emory and being a Brooklyn boy in Atlanta is what actually spurred [my] keeping a food journal,” he explains. “I did not know if I would actually be back in the South. I was exposed not only to places in Atlanta but other places around the country.”

When Richman landed the part as host for Man v. Food, he was acting in regional theaters across the country. Unlike his journal, which documented his culinary accounts that were most likely read by only a few, Richman now had the opportunity to share his enthusiasm for food and travel with an entire nation. For Richman, it was a dream come true. And for the Travel Channel, it was a new and exciting show to debut. The idea for the show, in fact, stemmed partly from the popularity of the Travel Channel program World’s Best Places to Pig Out.

Each week (Wednesday’s at 10 p.m. ET/PT) Richman takes viewers on a gastronomical journey, traveling to different cities and sampling diverse fare at legendary landmarks across the country. At the end of each episode, Richman completes a food challenge and wraps the show with a faux press conference. Even for those viewers who aren’t foodies, Richman’s on-air charisma, expressions, quirks and historical narratives are extremely entertaining. A person who thrives off the energy in the room, Richman describes the challenges he encounters as a cross between a house party, a Roman coliseum and a boxing match. “As arduous a task it may be, the spirit in the room … the love in the room is so galvanizing. The challenges become so much fun.It is just wild abandon and people are generally supportive and having a blast and for better or for worse you want to give them your all,” he says.

One unforgettable episode was the Five Bowl Firebrand Chili Challenge at Joe Roger’s Chili Parlor in Springfield, Illinois. Viewers got the chance to watch Richman interact with the locals as he high-fived the crowd, jumped down to the floor into a split and sweat it out, as he ingested the scorching hot chili that he described as having a comet in your stomach.

“My mouth is completely numb … the bowl has no bottom but I am determined to persevere,” says Richman to the cheering crowd, as he set out to eat six bowls, but stopped at five, tying the record. Then there was the Carnivore, an 11-pound, 30-inch pizza covered in pepperoni, ground beef, Italian sausage, ham and bacon at Big Pie in the Sky in Georgia. In just under an hour, Richman consumed four slices of pizza weighing a total of four and a half pounds.

Certainly, eating good food and talking about it is not the only skill set that is required for the job, Richman also gets to meet some interesting folks, and use his acting ability and wit. It is not uncommon to see Richman dress in costume (he was Abraham Lincoln in one episode), engage in a swordfight or sing lead vocals with a local band: “Man v. Food ... I am just a hungry dude.”                       

However, no matter how hungry Richman can get, there are certain foods that he makes a point to avoid. These include: sardines, ham, the Japanese fermented bean paste “Natto” and calf’s foot jelly. It’s exactly how it sounds, a stiff jelly, considered a delicacy in Russia and Britain, that is made from a stock of boiling calves’ feet in water.

Although he frequently gets asked which challenge is his most difficult, Richman says he can’t give a definitive answer. “Each challenge is difficult in different ways, and that is not a cop-out answer.” The Oyster Challenge at Acme Oyster House in New Orleans was a remarkable stunt. In just under an hour, Richman consumed 15 dozen oysters. Although he said the experience wiped out his taste for that particular shellfish (he has not had a raw oyster since), he did accomplish his goal. “I felt like I was in a trance. I ate 180 oysters and even saying that sounds ridiculous. I truly, truly, truly am in disbelief. It doesn’t seem humanly possible. It doesn’t seem plausible, and yet I did it.”

Even with all these wins, he has had his share of defeats, but never without a fight. The Malt Milkshake Challenge at Crown Candy Kitchen in St. Louis, Missouri did not end with the best outcome. Richman had to drink five 24-ounce malt milkshakes in 30 minutes; two glasses away from his win he had to stop. “You want to finish and on another level you want to retain your dignity,” he says.

The Great Steak Challenge in Baltimore, Maryland at the restaurant Steak & Main was another loss for the food enthusiast, who was just 3 ounces away from winning the gold. “This was the single largest volume I’ve encountered,” explains Richman, who had to devour four different cuts of beef, weighing a total of 72 ounces, plus side dishes of vegetables and potatoes. Looking back at that challenge, he acknowledged some hurdles. “When you are dealing with something that is cooked, keeping it hot is an issue and reheating it obviously overcooked some stuff, so that is one of the problems we ran into this episode.”

And who can forget the 190-pound Ridiculous Burger at Mallie’s Bar & Grill in Detroit. Richman had two hours to take this gigantic burger – 220 pounds of beef that took 16 hours to prepare by a three-man crew and was topped with 10 pounds of cheese and vegetables, three pounds of bacon and three heads of chopped lettuce – down. The burger was so large that when Richman tried to hold it, he could not get an arm around it. Having one man win this challenge was impossible, so he brought in some reinforcements – a 40-person crew of local eating all-stars including Detroit’s finest firefighters, wrestlers, roller derby girls, a KISS-impersonator band and a group of hockey players. When it was time to chow down, Richman grabbed his fork and knife and yelled, “Let’s eat some hamburger.” Although the all-stars started off strong, scoffing down 100 pounds of beef within the first 30 minutes, man lost this battle and food won.

The quantity challenges can get rough as viewers have seen. Certainly, one wonders how Richman is able to put away so much food in so little time. Indeed, there is a method to his madness. “The single biggest asset I have in my corner for quantity challenges is exercise," he says. "I have to work out really hard to get my metabolism revved up to the point where I am that hungry. We shoot 11 to 13 hours a day. We sometimes don’t get to the set until noon, but I don’t get to take the challenge until 7 p.m. I have to keep my stomach expanded and empty and my energy level up to sustain seven hours of filming while still staying hungry enough to be able to devour the sandwich.”

Not an easy task, but the self-educated food expert manages his challenges like a pro. “I would say the lion’s share of these challenges taste delicious. That 5-pound cheese steak in Philadelphia was delicious and so was the 72-ounce steak in Amarillo. The steak just happened to be the size of a saddle. I am having a good time, but I suppose there is really too much of a good thing.”

Richman, who is the first to tell you that he is not a competitive eater, just a regular guy who likes to eat, knows his limits even if the plate sitting in front of him is still piled high with food. “I made a vow and I made my mother a vow that I would never put myself in a situation where I would embarrass myself. Generally speaking, if I know one more bite will make me sick on camera, then I won’t eat it.”       

Undoubtedly, Richman is vigilant about his health and handles the temptation that surrounds him with ease. “My whole mantra is that if you take steps to stay involved knowing the potentially adverse effects of what you are eating, you can truly have your cake and eat it, too.” On camera, he gives himself license to indulge and enjoy the best a location has to offer. “Foods that are born to our ancestry and our history. This is what the show is about,” he explains. Off-camera though, Richman sticks to a diet that consists of lean protein, whole grains, green leafy vegetables and lots of water. He also works out with his personal trainer. “I would still like to remain attractive to the opposite sex,” he laughs. He also gets frequent medical checkups, which, he says, are mostly preventative. “I come from a long line of neurotic Jewish people so I talk to doctors regularly,” he jokes. “You know inherently I have to talk to the cardiologist, the gastroenterologist, and the GP.”  He assures us though, that he does not have a team of physicians who travel with him.

“My weight fluctuates a bit but I am proud to say that I am still wearing the same pair of jeans I wore for the Man v. Food screen test,” says Richman who is coming up to his one-year anniversary as host of the show.

Impressive, Adam.

In mid-December, Man v. Food will wrap season two, with Richman having traveled to 20 cities. He is definitely enjoying the ride. (In season one he traveled to 18 cities). "I have met some of the finest people and have eaten some of the best food this country has to offer. When you look at the final analysis and see that you are giving mom and pop businesses a boost, it is not such a bad way to spend your day.”

Well said.

For season three, Boulevard readers are welcome to campaign for a Long Island episode; just submit your ideas to www.travelchannel.com

Hmmm … maybe I’ll get to have that frozen yogurt challenge, after all.

Below is a list of some of the food Richman’s been craving lately.   “I love food I cannot get regularly,” he says.  Bon Appetit!!!   

•    The Italian Beef Sandwich at Al’s Beef in Chicago, Illinois.

•     Lemon Ricotta Pancakes from The Inn on Conventry in Cleveland, Ohio.

•    Cheesy Poofs from Salvador Molly’s in Portland, Oregon.

•    Roast Pork and Homemade Guacomole at Brasa Rotisserie in Minneapolis,Minnesota.

•    Anything on the menu at Vegetarian Palate on Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York.