Takeru Kobayashi

Takeru Kobayashi is a well-known figure in the realm of competitive eating, hailing from Japan. His career took flight with a victory in the 2000 Japanese variety show "TV Champion Gluttony Championship," following which he set his first Western world record by consuming 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes at the Nathan's Coney Island Hot Dog Eating Contest. This feat marked the beginning of his six-time champion streak at the event. Kobayashi's innovative "Solomon Method" of separating hot dogs from their buns and dunking the buns in water for quicker consumption gained him recognition and played a significant role in popularizing the sport of competitive eating.

Over the years, Kobayashi has participated and emerged victorious in numerous competitions, including the 2005 Alka-Seltzer US Open of Competitive Eating, the Glutton Bowl in 2002, and the Johnsonville World Bratwurst Eating Championship where he set a record by eating 58 bratwurst sausages in 10 minutes. He has also set world records for consuming a variety of foods, from hot dogs and bratwurst sausages to Twinkies and grilled cheese sandwiches. His 2011 performance at a Manhattan bar, where he finished 69 hot dogs, exceeded the officially recognized world record at the time.

Apart from his eating prowess, Kobayashi has made appearances in various commercials, including those for ESPN's SportsCenter, MasterCard, Coors Light, and the Western Canada Lottery Corporation. He has also been featured on renowned television shows like "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," "Saturday Night Live," and "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." His guest appearances at various events, such as The Offspring's album release party, further accentuate his public presence. In 2024, Netflix announced a live special in September of that year titled "Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef," where Kobayashi will face Joey Chestnut in an all-beef hot dog eating contest.