Mahanth is Editor

My latest foray down the YouTube rabbit hole during this 2022 winter holiday staycation actually featured a (borderline dubious) purpose: to find the winner of the most ridiculous Indian food challenge ever caught on camera in real time. Seeking out such a champion was no easy task as dozens of daredevils and madmen around the globe including a younger, dumber version of myself have tackled absolutely insane, painful challenges imbibing ungodly amounts of spice or dangerous volumes of calories from curries, pani puris, jalebis, and other Indian delights.

Many cowardly mortals in this world won’t even venture to try regular helpings of basic Indian food staples. Indian food challenges meanwhile can be especially cruel to those fool enough to try them due to the potent flavors, potentially overwhelming levels of spiciness or sweetness, and sheer richness that will fast become your #1 enemy during a volume challenge. I spent several hours browsing YouTube in amusement, bemusement, horror, and downright awe as some world-class eaters defeated, or were downright drowned by, the Indian food challenges placed in front of them. Folks, even I put my body on the line for this project: on multiple occasions I almost felt like retching just from watching.

And thus, this Indian food challenge showdown was born! And to earn the elusive win in this diabolical showdown, it quickly became clear to me that mere amateurs need not apply. In particular, two longtime professional eater champs stuck out from the rest of the voluminous global pack for destroying multiple impossible-looking Indian challenges over recent years: American Randy Santel and Brit BeardMeatsFood– appropriately two of the highest-ranked pros in the competitive eating business.

I watched various videos of both of them wolf down massive amounts of Indian curries and naans, and a particularly disgusting video of Randy taking down a mountain of jalebi in a Mumbai eatery that raised my own blood sugar vicariously. However, nothing I came across was more impressive than, in reverse order:

Randy Attempts the Undefeated Rajnikanth Dosa Challenge. Man, dosas are delicious. But they are a greasy bundle of carbs and extra fillings- can this guy do this heretofore undefeated challenge for America on his visit to Mumbai, featuring multiple disappointing food challenge defeats?

Mr Beard Makes, with the help of Mrs Beard, and then Tries to Wolf Down, the World’s Largest Samosa. Could we have here a winner, winner, chicken dinner? Mr. Beard here shows us how to try to beat the most difficult Indian food challenge ever seen. I couldn’t avert my eyes for a single moment during this riveting episode. Do you agree with my selections? Can you find a better Indian food challenge victory video than this? Let me know! Or else, bow down to the inhuman stomach of the pride of UK eating champs, Mr Beard: