Joel Longo

After years of using FoodChallenges.com as my go-to resource for finding food challenges, I somehow only just realized that I could actually register as a Food Fighter and join the community. So here I am, finally making it official!

I’ve been doing some form of food challenge since around 1998, when I was still a kid. It started innocently enough with racing my Grandpa to see who could finish dinner first. Eventually I discovered that I could eat more than most of my friends and started making little bets at school over who could finish more Bosco sticks, pizza, or whatever else was available. I’ve probably completed dozens of challenges over the years, although most happened on my own time, with a few friends, and long before I ever thought to document them.

My first real introduction to competitive eating was watching Kobayashi at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Competing there has been a dream of mine ever since, and I’m still working toward finding the right qualifier to earn my spot at the table someday.

One challenge that will always stand out was the O.M.F.G. Burger at Lindy’s on 4th in Tucson, Arizona. I went with a couple of friends shortly after Adam Richman had filmed an episode of Man v. Food there attempting the same burger. I had no idea he’d been there or that he’d given up before finishing. I went in confident, asked Lindy if I could have an extra bun so I could split the patties into two slightly more manageable monstrosities, and was told I was the first person to ever ask for MORE food. I ultimately finished the entire burger, the extra bun, and even some of my friends’ leftover fries. The clock may have won that day, but the burger didn’t.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve transitioned from being more of a speed eater to an endurance eater, although 2026 has been the year I’ve really started pushing myself to compete in front of crowds. I’m especially drawn to the oddball, ridiculous, and downright absurd challenges, and I’m always eager to meet the people behind them. That interest has also led my friend Shane and I to start making food challenge videos under the name Gut Check Bros. We’re just as interested in helping create a great challenge as we are in showing up to eat one, and we’re always happy to work with restaurant owners who have an idea for a challenge but aren’t sure where to start. Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to help Big Poppa’s Pizzeria bring their Bigger Poppa Challenge to life, which was a lot of fun.

Mostly, I’m just a lifelong big eater who enjoys the challenge, the ridiculousness of it all, meeting the people who create these challenges, and continually finding new ways to push myself. I’ve been doing this for nearly three decades, and I’m still chasing that big win. Hopefully I’ll have to update this bio someday because I finally caught it.