Takeru Kobayashi

“The one thing that's broken inside of me is that I've lost the signal most people have to feel hungry or feel full.”

“I know that I have a special stomach.”

“I just grill chicken and make very simple cuisine.”

“Food fighters in Japan think of themselves as athletes. They have a higher recognition of the game and are constantly thinking about records. I probably won't continue for long because it puts pressure on the body. But I am at the age where I can perform my best.”

“I could easily go one or two days without realizing that I'm so, so hungry. That's the negative outcome of what I've become.”

“When I was a kid, I wanted to be a baseball player.”

“I just want to compete and do what I love.”

“People think that if you have a huge appetite, then you'll be better at it. But actually, it's how you confront the food that is brought to you. You have to be mentally and psychologically prepared.”

“Stimulation-wise, I might be a little bit addicted when it comes to pushing my body to extremes.”

“I basically go to the gym three times a week to do weight training for one or two hours.”

“If you taste something, you're not at the maximum of your ability. What I think about in competition is temperature and texture. It has nothing to do with taste or emotion.”

“I was able to participate in New York Fashion Week and walk down the runway. I participated in a pizza contest in Canada.”

“About three months before a contest, I drink a lot of water. I start to drink a lot of water.”

“I realized crime isn't the only way you can judge people. People can do good things, and people can do bad things. It's probably better to understand people for the good things they do.”

“I've been to the Empire State Building with four friends, and it was very beautiful at that time around midnight.”