Competitive eating is no longer a niche interest; it’s a captivating spectacle, and at the forefront of this world is Adam Moran, famously known as Beard Meets Food. With a massive online presence, boasting over 220k subscribers and an astounding 25 million views on his YouTube channel, Beard Meets Food has become synonymous with incredible food challenges and entertaining content. Beyond YouTube, Adam has also graced television screens, notably in Channel 4’s ‘The 2,000,000 Calorie Buffet’. We were thrilled to sit down with Adam and delve into his fascinating journey, particularly his perspective on one of the world’s favorite foods: pizza.
From Fitness to Feats: The Genesis of Beard Meets Food
So, how does one transition into the world of competitive eating? For Adam, it began with a self-discovery. “About three years ago, I started to realize I had a naturally large appetite,” he recalls. His journey wasn’t initially about consuming vast quantities of food; it was rooted in health and fitness. “I’ve always been into health and fitness, weightlifting, and all that,” Adam explains. He even undertook a rigorous diet to achieve peak leanness, reaching an incredibly low 8% body fat. Interestingly, this phase, documented in some newspaper photos, inadvertently set the stage for his future career.
It was Adam’s fiancée who playfully nudged him towards his first food challenge. Seeing it as a post-diet treat, she suggested he try a local restaurant’s eating challenge. “It was 12 burgers, a pound of fries, and two milkshakes,” Adam recounts. To his surprise, he conquered it. “Sure enough, I finished it and got the bug from there.” This marked the unexpected beginning of the Beard Meets Food phenomenon.
Vlogging and Victories: The Rise of a Food Influencer
While the eating came first, the Beard Meets Food brand truly took shape with vlogging. Adam clarifies, “I wouldn’t say I really classed myself as a ‘competitive eater’ until maybe 2017 when I did my first independent pro-contest.” Initially, food challenges were just a hobby. He started his YouTube channel as a “fun little side-hustle,” but it quickly evolved. “Before I knew it, I’d started to develop a small cult following.”
Building an online community takes dedication and time. For Adam, the turning point came when his YouTube earnings surpassed his regular job income. “At the point I noticed I was making more from my YouTube videos than my regular job, I decided to quit and focus entirely on my channel.” While Beard Meets Food has diversified into food photography, marketing, and social media management for restaurants, his YouTube channel remains his “primary focus,” driving the Beard Meets Food brand forward.
Memorable Meals: Beard Meets Food’s Favorite Challenges
Choosing a favorite challenge from a career filled with epic food feats is no easy task. “That’s a tough one, because I look back fondly on each one for different reasons, and I change my mind a lot, haha,” Adam admits. However, for prestige, one challenge stands out: “Britain’s biggest mixed grill at The George Grill in Stockton on Tees.” Its sheer size and the fact that Adam remains the only person to ever finish it make it particularly memorable.
Beyond individual glory, collaborative challenges also hold a special place. Adam recalls a “giant two-man pizza challenge” with fellow competitive eater Dan Kennedy in Buffalo, NY. Facing a massive 40-inch pizza, they shattered the existing record. “The record had been held at something like 17 minutes for years, but Dan and I got it down in around 13 minutes,” he says with pride. Outperforming American competitive eaters on their own turf, even in a pizza challenge, was a significant achievement for Beard Meets Food.
The Ultimate Test: Beard Meets Food’s Toughest Challenge
While victories are sweet, challenges often push competitors to their limits. For Beard Meets Food, the toughest completed challenge involved a “4ft chilli hot dog at a place called Holy Moly’s Deep South Kitchen.” This wasn’t just any hot dog; it was an “11.5lb” behemoth covered in chili, classified as an “expert level restaurant food challenge.” Adam’s struggle was real. “I actually failed it twice before finally managing to get it down while being filmed for Channel 4’s documentary,” he reveals. Finally conquering this monstrous hot dog on camera was a fortunate and hard-earned victory for Beard Meets Food.
Pizza Preferences: Beard Meets Food Beyond the Challenge
Does a competitive eater still enjoy food outside of challenges? When it comes to pizza, Adam’s relationship is nuanced. “I would very rarely eat pizza in my day to day life,” he states. It’s not a matter of dislike, but practicality. “It’s one of those foods that is always rough to digest, and you can’t really make it part of an everyday, balanced diet.” Beard Meets Food follows a “ridiculously regimented and very targeted” diet when not filming or competing, focusing on “nutrient-dense food” and maintaining a “severe calorie deficit.” Pizza, unfortunately, doesn’t quite fit into this routine.
However, when Adam does indulge in pizza, he has discerning tastes. “When I eat pizza by choice, I try to avoid chains. I’ll seek out an independent Italian joint.” He appreciates authentic pizza experiences, especially in cities like New York. “Some of the places in New York are incredible. If I’m ever in New York, that’s the one time you’re likely to catch me just casually eating pizza on the street.”
Local Gems and Chain Favorites: Beard Meets Food’s Pizza Hotspots
While preferring independent restaurants for quality pizza, Beard Meets Food does have a favorite chain. “My favourite chain would have to be Papa John’s,” Adam admits. His fondness for Papa John’s has even led to collaborations. “I’ve actually done a lot of promotional work for them. I think they picked up on how much I like their pizza from some of my earlier videos so they’ve invited me to their HQ a few times which is cool.” However, he acknowledges the limitations of chains for top-tier quality, “especially when you’re talking take-away.”
For truly exceptional pizza, Beard Meets Food recommends venturing to proper restaurants. He highlights a local gem near Leeds: “There’s a place in Horsforth near Leeds which is great called Tratoria Il Forno, which serves 20″ pizzas, which might make you think it’s quantity over quality, but they’re absolutely delicious.” The quality at Tratoria Il Forno is so impressive that Adam jokes, “I keep thinking next time I visit I might go for three of them!”
Pepperoni and Pineapple? Beard Meets Food’s Pizza Topping Confession
When it comes to pizza toppings, Beard Meets Food isn’t afraid to be unconventional. “Call me a weirdo but my favourite is pepperoni and pineapple,” Adam confesses. He enjoys “experimentation with flavours” and the “sweet and salty together” combination. For him, “pepperoni and pineapple is basically a more intense, salty and sweet combo than a traditional Hawaiian (ham and pineapple).”
Adam also explores other less common toppings. “I’m kinda getting into goat’s cheese on pizza too, as opposed to your more conventional mozzarella.” He advises caution when using goat cheese due to its “sharper cheese” flavor, recommending pairings like “caramelised onion.” Beard Meets Food encourages pizza lovers to be adventurous with their toppings.
Toppings to Avoid: Beard Meets Food’s Pizza Pet Peeves
Despite his adventurous palate, there are pizza toppings Beard Meets Food isn’t keen on. “I wouldn’t say there’s a particular topping I hate. I mean there are things I don’t think are supposed to go on pizza. Fish for example.” While acknowledging that some enjoy fish on pizza, “for me putting tuna or anything like that on a pizza just tastes odd.” His ultimate pizza aversion, however, is brussel sprouts. “The only food I really truly despise, aside from spicy stuff in general, is brussel sprouts so that would be a no go for me.” Ironically, even brussel sprouts couldn’t completely deter him from a festive pizza. “Funnily enough ASDA did a Christmas dinner pizza for a limited run last December which was actually pretty good, but I was careful to remove most of the sprouts.”
Spice Tolerance: Beard Meets Food vs. Heat
Long-time Beard Meets Food fans know about Adam’s aversion to spicy food. When faced with spice in a challenge, his strategy varies. “It really depends on how spicy it is. I’ve done ghost peppers before but I’ll avoid them at all costs these days.” For milder spice, like the “half pound of jalapeños” in a burger challenge at Handmade Burger Co, his approach is tactical. “I just left them to the end.” Knowing the challenge wasn’t overly large, he devised a method to minimize the spice impact. “In the end I wasn’t really biting them, I’d just put a handful of jalapeños in my mouth, then chug water and swallow. Mechanically speaking, I wasn’t really eating jalapeños… just drinking water with jalapeños in it!”
Beer or Not to Beer: Beard Meets Food’s Drink of Choice
Pizza and beer are a classic pairing, but does Beard Meets Food partake? “I don’t really drink much at all any more,” Adam explains. His priorities have shifted away from alcohol consumption. “I used to drink a lot when I was younger, back in my uni days, but it doesn’t really fit with what I do now.” Similar to his pizza consumption, his drink choices are driven by function. “As I mentioned, I eat and drink for health and function, so I can’t really spare a couple of hundred calories every few days drinking beer.” Social drinking is also less frequent due to time constraints. “Not to mention I’ve never really been a ‘home drinker’ and I have less time to socialise these days.”
However, Beard Meets Food does enjoy a drink on occasion. “I do drink on occasions though, if I’m ever out with friends, around Christmas and birthdays etc.” His preferred drink is “spiced rum and ginger ale,” but he’ll “always start with a beer for old times sake!” When it comes to beer preference, “I generally prefer lighter beers compared to more robust, European stuff.” He mentions a particular favorite: “there’s this Mexican beer called Dos Equis which you can barely get anywhere in England. That’s one of my favourites.” Given his profession, beer consumption requires caution. “Gotta be careful when it comes to beer though in my profession; when you can drink a gallon of liquid in under a minute, things can go sideways very fast!”
To witness more of Adam Moran’s incredible food challenges and adventures, be sure to visit BeardMeatsFood.co.uk. Subscribe to his YouTube channel and follow him on social media: Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
