Competitive Eater Johnny Wu

HK Magazine: How did you manage to finish a dozen bowls of rice in 10 minutes?
Johnny Wu: I don’t know either – it wasn’t until the competition was over that I realized how much I’d eaten. According to official records, I actually finished nine bowls in the first four minutes. I remember I was so focused that I could hardly hear what the hosts were saying or how the others were doing. I was flowing. I could have eaten more  had I not had hot pot and consequently diarrhea the night before the competition.

HK: Didn’t you feel full?
JW: I didn’t feel full at all during the competition. Like any other international eating competition, the time limit is 12 minutes - the brain can hardly have enough time to send the body any signals that imply satiation. I was feeling kind of full afterwards, but I still managed dinner that night – maybe I was eating less than usual, but I was back to normal the next day.

HK: Any top tips for competitive eating?
JW: First, prepare yourself. Instead of starving themselves, competitive eaters usually train themselves to eat more.This helps to strengthen the stomach muscles. During the competition, focus. Many people say they feel threatened by me, and it affects their performances. But I hardly notice anything at all – I think that helps. During the competition, I rotate my stomach from side to side in the middle of the competition to aid digestion. Also, avoid sweet and sticky food. It’s hard to swallow, and I can only force down 26 wife cookies [a form of pastry made of glutinous flour] in 12 minutes. Finally, know your limits. I was born this way and I’ve always been able to eat a lot. Safety first.

HK: Which competitions have you participated in?
JW: I’m not sure I can remember them all. In the 90s, I was in all sorts of speed-eating and drinking competitions. I was once the winner of the San Miguel Beer competition; I finished a basin dish weighing three kilos in three minutes, and 70 dumplings in ten minutes. But my specialty is my tolerance for hot and spicy food. I downed 70 red hot peppers in two minutes once, and I felt nothing.

HK: We’ve seen people vomiting on TV in eating competitions. Have you ever vomited?
JW: No, it’s usually the rookies who vomit. Or in some cases, they spit them out in a spray of water. They don’t know the right way to swallow, so food accumulates in the esophagus and they throw up. I am still working on ways to swallow things faster and better.

HK: How much weight do you usually gain after each competition?
JW: Not much. Two or three pounds at most, and sometimes none at all. Professional competitive eaters are usually not that fat. If you have too much fat pressurizing the stomach, it affects performance. A slimming company actually offered me a contract, provided that I stop competitive eating for a while. But it was too much of a sacrifice, so the deal didn’t go through. I’ve tried exercising and a healthy diet, though. I used to weigh between 230-240 pounds, but now I weigh 200 pounds, without even quitting the game.