Assignment

1
Nick Harvilla

Relevant Background Information:

The show is called Man vs. Food and it aired originally on the Travel Channel from
2008 to 2012. Adam Richman travels the United States looking for the best places to
pig out in America, while taking on the biggest eating challenges. He claims he is not a
competitive eater. During the episodes Adam always visits three restaurants. The first
two are local places that are smaller and typically serve cheap, delicious food. They
are known as local pig out spots that most of the local population either dine or have
at least heard of. The last restaurants that Adam visits each show are usually larger
establishments with a more expansive menu compared to the first two restaurants, but
they include some sort of eating challenge. The challenge could be based on quantity
of a food item, sheer size in terms of mass, or based on flavor- usually very spicy. Many
of the challenges Adam undergoes are high-calorie, and high-fat meals, which your
average person would not be able to consume in a single sitting.

Actors:
Adam Richman: Main character and star of Man vs. Food. Adam travels around the
country taking on food challenges and to find the best places in America to pig out.
Restaurant Owner: Typically Adam visits smaller restaurants before he visits the
main challenge area. These owners usually operate a smaller venue that has
cheaper food that is a local favorite. These owners, typically, are not into making a
ton of money and from what it seems like, just want to provide good, cheap food.
These include burger joints, sandwich spots, BBQ places, and more. One thing all
these locations have in common is that they have some sort of specialty dish or type
of food that the local population loves.
Challenge Restaurant Owner: Adam always visits some sort of larger restaurants
owned either by one or multiple owners. These establishments are larger, with
many more things on their menu than the smaller restaurants that are visited on the
show. The Challenge Restaurant Owner always meets with Adam and takes him
through the ropes on how the challenge food dish is made. Then the owner will
announce the challenge and serve it to Adam in some sort of large show-like display.

Artifacts:
Adam Richmans Love of Food: Adam Richman obviously loves food. If he didnt
then this show would not exist. However, he doesnt love food like an average
person. From what I can tell, Adam truly does enjoy food and has the palate/ability
to identify different flavor profiles and tastes in every food he tries. His love of food
rises to that of an aficionado or connoisseur.
The Challenge Restaurant: The challenge restaurant is very significant to the show
because it is the entire basis for the show. Adam faces a different food challenge in
every episode at a different restaurant he visits. The challenge restaurant
represents the arena where man actually faces off against food.
The Local Pig-out Spots: The local pig-spots are the restaurants that Adam visits
leading up to his final restaurant where he undergoes an eating challenge. The local
pig-out spots represent places that the local population can get good, rib-sticking

Comment [1]: Even though I have seen this show

before, if i had not I would have a pretty good idea what
this show is about, so good job on the brief
explanation. Maybe you could add something more
personal about Adam, such as like why or how he got
interested in being apart of this show and what are
some of his major accomplishments.
Comment [2]: Your entry on Adam was a little brief I
think. Some more background information such as
does he have a wife and kids, what other jobs or
careers has he been apart of. What is his inspiration for
traveling the world and trying new exotic food
challenges.
Comment [3]: I agree with Will. This description of the
main character doesn't tell me much about him and it
doesn't help someone that hasn't seen the show, such
as myself. Is he a fairly fit man? I couldn't tell Adam
from a stranger in the street.

Assignment 1
Nick Harvilla
food for cheap. The restaurants represent the small business mentality of America
where sometimes one-of-a-kind businesses just do it better than larger
corporations.

*This is an observation from the entire show which is ~21 minutes long on Netflix.
Observation 1:
2:00mins-Adam is seen walking down Beale Street in Memphis. The first restaurant
he visits is called Gus Fried Chicken. Adam claims that Memphis is known for fried
chicken, and that Gus Fried Chicken is the best place to go. Adam polls some people
in the restaurant on what they are ordering, and they are all eating chicken. He then
goes to people and asks what they like about the chicken. Most people cannot
answer for certain but one popular answer is the spices. Next the show goes into a
description of the history of Gus Fried Chicken

4:00mins-A man named Vernon Gus Bonner founded Gus Fried Chicken 25 years
ago. It started in Mason Tennessee until they opened a second restaurant in
Memphis, TN. Adam is seen interviewing Vernon Gus Bonners widow on how to
properly eat the chicken. She said to eat it slowly and savor it. Adam sits down
with the cook, Big John, and gets to eat the chicken. He obviously enjoys it very
much. From there he follows Big John into the kitchen to see how its made. Only 3
people in the world know all the secrets to whats in the chicken. Adam then
shadows Big John while as he is trimming the chicken. Next, he gets to season the
chicken in the secret seasoning. Overall, Adam is very satisfied with Gus Chicken.

8:00mins-The next restaurant Adam stops at is, called Rendezvous BBQ, which has
been around since 1948. It is known for all types of BBQ- pulled pork, kielbasa, and
especially ribs. The restaurant is famous for its ribs. In 1948 Charlie Vergos,
opened the BBQ shop. Vergos was a Greek Immigrant and he used many Greek
spices on his BBQ. Adam speaks with the floor manager Percy, who gives him this
information. Adam then heads back to the kitchen where he speaks with Bobby, the
kitchen manager. The ribs, we learn, are roasted for over 14 hours over charcoal.
Adam tries a rib with no seasonings and it is very tender and he enjoys it. Then he
tries one in the special vinegar sauce and it is even better. Then he tries quite a few
with the special seasoning and he enjoys those the best.

10:00mins-Adam arrives at Big Foot Lodge to take on the Sasquatch Challenge.
Adam begins by polling customers about the legend of the Sasquatch. Many people
have seen the burger, but have not actually tried it for themselves. The rules are as
follows: anyone who wants it has 1 hour to complete the challenge and if it is beat,
then they get their picture on the wall. Adam then meets with a person who had
previously beat the challenge, Jeremy Payne. Adam asks Jeremy for any tips on how
to beat the Sasquatch. Jeremy tells Adam that he shouldnt breathe and should just
focus on eating. Adam heads back to the kitchen to see how the Sasquatch is made.

Comment [4]: These artifacts are done fairly well. They

list the main factors in the show. Gives the reader a
heads-up on what to expect from the show. I now know
that the local pig-out spots are obviously the underdogs
in the competition.

Assignment 1
Nick Harvilla
12:00mins-Adam heads to the kitchen to speak with the man behind the Sasquatch,
Shawn Danko, who is also the owner of the restaurant. Shawn goes through the
ingredients used to make the Sasquatch. The Sasquatch calls for 4 pounds of
80/20-ground chuck, which Adam claims is the best meat you can buy. The bun is
the size of a barstool weighing 2 lbs total. The toppings consist of: 1 full tomato, 1
full onion, 7 pieces of lettuce, 1 cup and a quarter of pickles, and 8 pieces of
American cheese. Shawn then shows Adam how to make the burger. Adam
demonstrates how large the burger patty is by holding it up to his face, eclipsing it
entirely. Shawn shows Adam how the burger is equivalent to 8 normal burgers.
Adam then heads to the dining room to begin the challenge.

15:00mins-Adam is seated at table flanked by a bottle of mustard, ketchup,
Louisiana Hot Sauce, a cup of water with a single lemon wedge, a timer and a
bottle of Texas Pete. Before him is one napkin, a placemat, a fork, and a knife. On
the timer there is 1 hour queued up. Shawn announces that Adam will be the first
person to complete the challenge with the additional toppings of bacon, mushrooms,
and onions. The burger itself looks quite enticing and it truly is massive. It is
brought out on what looks like a serving tray rather than a plate. The burger is
garnished with a single dill pickle speared with a knife through the top of the bun.
Additionally, there is a side of fries. Adams strategy is to cut the burger into 6
portions eating one portion every 10 minutes. Adam starts off strong the first 5
minutes eating one of the 6 portions. He ate about half the burger in only 11
minutes! He receives some encouragement from his buddy Jeremy. Many guests
also think that Adam will complete the challenge due to his early and fast start.

17:00mins-Within 30 minutes, Adam has finished of the burger but is slowing
rapidly. He is broken into a sweat. Visually, you can see pain and severe discomfort
on his face. His pace has slowed to a near crawl and he has only 18 minutes to finish
the rest of the burger. He goes outside not to vomit but to explain to the audience
what is going on. He proclaims that this challenge is nothing to joke with and that
he had underestimated it. Adam returns with 13 minutes left to complete the
challenge. Adam unfortunately has to throw in the towel. Adam was unable to
finish the burger and the Sasquatch remains triumphant.

Observation 2:
2:00mins Adam is in Boston this episode to take on the Eagles Deli Challenge.
Adam opens the episode walking down a street in Boston. The first restaurant that
Adam visits is called East Coast Grill. East Coast Grill specializes in serving the
spiciest dishes 3 nights a year. Adam is there to get the pasta from hell. The pasta
from hell is made with the ghost pepper. Adam interviews various people and one
man has been there form the beginning, his name is Dr. Pepper. If you cant handle
the heat on hell night then you can order a creamsicle but they come around
chanting wimp. Adam goes to the back and watches how the pasta from hell is
made. It uses 3 ghost pepper chilies. Within 10 seconds Adam is seen crying with

Comment [5]: This is a good observation. However, you

sorta randomly introduced a character without
explaining who they are. Who is Dr.Pepper? Is he a
loyal costumer or an owner?

Assignment 1
Nick Harvilla

6:00mins The next place Adam goes is called the Barking Crab. Adam is there to get
their legendary New England clambake, which weighs 4 lbs. On a busy night The
Barking Crab serves 60 clambakes. Adam goes to the back and watches how the
clambake is made; it is made with clams, lobster, corn, red potatoes and clam
chowder. Adam is also showed how the Fishermans platter is made; which is clams,
scallops and haddock. Next some guy brings out a 15 lbs. lobster, which Adam
compares to the size of head.

10:00mins Next Adam heads to Eagles Deli to take on the challenge of this episode.
The challenge is the 12lb eagle challenge. This episode Adam is actually challenging
another person to see who is better and can eat more. The Eagles challenge weighs
up to 5lbs. Adam is interviewing the owner and he learns how they came to the
Eagles challenge. Every time someone could eat more they would name it after him
or her. Adam is facing a guy named Chuck to see who can eat more of the Eagles
Challenge.

15:00mins Adam is head to head with Chuck and it is very close. Within 5 minutes
Adam has eaten 3 patties. Everyone is cheering for Chuck because they all hate the
Yankees. Chuck is now sweating from eating too much food. They also have to eat 5
lbs of French fries. The contest is now getting pretty disgusting with both men
sweating profusely. After the battle, Adams plate weighs just over 5 lbs meaning he
ate 7 lbs of burgers and fries. Adam must wear a shirt that says I love Boston and
put his picture on the Wall of Shame.

Observation 3
2:00mins This episode, Adam is New York City. The first restaurant he visits is
called Katz New York Deli. They weigh in at over one pound. Adam exclaims that
Katz deli has been a staple sine 1885 where they have been serving Eastern
European traditional food. Adam interviews the owner and he says the go through
over 10,000 lbs of meat a week.

4:00mins Adam is in the kitchen explaining the difference between corn beef and
pastrami. Pastrami is a cut from the naval area and the corn beef is from a brisket.
Adam informs the audience that only way to eat these meats is on rye bread with a
little bit of mustard. Adam makes his own sandwich with both meats on it and he
enjoys it Rueben style. Adams mom shows up and lectures him about his sandwich
saying its too much.

6:00mins The next restaurant that Adam goes to is Slyvias Restaurant for soul food.
The restaurant serves up traditional dishes like fried chicken and mac and cheese.
This restaurant is known for its fried chicken and waffles. Slyvias has been around
since 1962 where it was a one-room restaurant and had 35 seats. Adam goes to the
back where he interviews the chef behind the chicken.

Comment [6]: I like how thorough your observations

were. Your entries were very detailed and you
presented background information about some of the
restaurants. Including fun facts that people would have
no way of knowing helped make your paper better. I
think you chose a great topic to write about and you
seem very passionate about this show.

Assignment 1
Nick Harvilla

10:00mins The restaurant where Adam takes on the challenge is called Brick Lane
where he has to eat the worlds hottest curry. He interviews quite a few people who
all say they love curry because it is like Indian BBQ. The curry that Adam is eating
the spiciest of 14 different curries flavors. Adam goes to the kitchen and the chef is
wearing a gas mask.

15:00mins Adam begins the challenge and he cant even take a single bite. He
instantly begins crying and sweating. Adam accidently wiped the napkin he had
been using on his mouth on his face and his entire face is burning. Adam does not
complete the challenge because it is too hot. He falls to the statistic that only 9 out
of 10 people can finish the bowl of super spicy curry.

Interview:
1.
Have you seen the show Man v. Food and what are your opinions on it?

Sorry - I have never seen the show.

2.
How important is a 2000-calorie diet to the average individual? (Moderate
activity level, normal muscle mass, etc.)

I typically focus more on an eating pattern that is balanced in
carbohydrates/fats/proteins and is primarily nutrient rich whole/fresh,
unprocessed foods rather than focusing on a specific calorie intake. Focusing
on calorie intake rather than nutrient intake can result in nutrient
deficiencies as well as poor health.

3.
What are the effects on the body of over eating?

Overeating can cause stress on the body that can result in over burdening
specific organs - liver, pancreas, heart as well as creating overall inflammation
that can result in poor health. And - obviously, overeating calories can cause
weight gain and fat gain.

4.
How prevalent is binge/over eating among college-aged students?

I don't have specific statistics for this, but I can tell you that I typically deal
with it on a daily basis.

5.
How difficult is it to burn excess calories that are consumed in a binge
eating/overeating episode?

This really depends on the body composition of the person and how/where
the extra calories are stored. It also depends on the fitness level of the person

Comment [7]: I would have interviewed someone who

has seen the show. The only reason I say that is
because you could get a second opinion or second
perspective on the show. Just wondering wondering
,but maybe you could talk about Adam's strategy when
he goes about preparing for a competition.
Comment [8]: I agree with Will. Some of the questions
asked aren't common knowledge for an average
person or espically for someone that has never seen
the show. The person interviewed still managed to
respond pretty well, despite the curveballs.

Assignment 1
Nick Harvilla
and whether or not they are regularly an active person. It's not just a calorie
for calorie equation and involves much more than just burning off the extra
calories.

6.
How quickly does the body adipose calories that are in excess to what it
needs?

The body will fill liver and muscle energy stores first - most people already
have these pretty full unless they have just exercised heavily. Extra
macronutrients are then metabolized in to triglycerides in the liver and stored
as fat.




7. How does "snacking" or "grazing" affect maintaining a 2000-calorie diet?

I do encouraged healthy snacking to help a person meet their goals for a
balanced diet. Eating more frequently throughout the day can help a
person avoid overeating or binge eating later in the day.

Analyze:
Throughout the entire series of Man Vs. Food the setup of the show remains
constant. Adam Richman always travels to a new city looking for the best local
restaurants that are considered local delicacies. These local restaurants are unique
to the area and often are considered pig out spots- serving a large quantity of food
for a relatively cheap price. Adam always visits a challenge restaurant in the latter
part of the episode to take on an eating challenge. One thing I noticed is that Adam
has a salesmen-esque style about him; he promotes every restaurant as if it is the
best place he has ever eaten at. He goes from episode to episode claiming the
current restaurant he is at has the best_______ even if a different episode another
restaurant had the same style or type of food. This makes me wonder if his
producers tell him to promote the food more than review it. The way Adam
describes the food seems more like an extended commercial where he goes over
how the food is made and really, really talks about how good it is. I dont think
Adam is actually a food critic but is actually a food promoter. Another thing that is
consistent throughout the show is that every single restaurant in every episode that
I have seen (Ive seen almost all) is an unhealthy restaurant. I know that he is
searching for pig-out spots but the food he eats would be disgusting, to most, to
eat week after week. The type of food he eats is laden with grease and fat, and the
average person would not be able to eat it on a weekly basis. This could be one
reason that the viewer sees Adam gain a significant amount of weight throughout
the seasons of the show.

Comment [9]: Your analysis is very good. Maybe add

something about restaurants giving him free food in
exchange for his advertisement. Also mention what
some of his favorite foods are.
Comment [10]: I like how you added in your beliefs on
the show. I could definitely see how this show could be
used as advertisement and spotlight for local pig-out
spots. I like that you added the controversy of the show
in your chart and research.

Assignment 1
Nick Harvilla

Chart:
Terms:
Adams obsession with unhealthy food
Adams episodes of frequent binge eating
Adams weight gain due to the frequent binge eating
Adams consumption of cheap, calorie dense foods
Adams promotion of the food and how it affects business of the restaurant


Term
Source
Google Scholar, Defining and labeling
Adams obsession with unhealthy food
healthy and unhealthy food, 2009
Cambridge Journals
Adams episodes of frequent binge eating NPR, Binge Eating Official Defined as a
Mental Disorder, 2010
Adams weight gain as a result of frequent Google Scholar, Preventing Excessive
Weight Gain in adolescents:
binge eating
Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Binge
Eating, 2012 Wiley Online Library
Adams consumption of cheap, calorieUNCC Database, Contribution of food
dense foods
prices and diet cost to socioeconomic
disparities in diet quality and health: a
systematic review and analysis,
PubMed.gov