Gothamist

A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.

Gothamist

WNYC Listen Live

Donate

 

 

Arts & Entertainment

Kobayashi Wants Your Fruitcake!


By

Jen Carlson

Published Dec 23, 2008

Modified Dec 23, 2008


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


Never miss a story

 Email address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .


By

Jen Carlson

Published Dec 23, 2008

Modified Dec 23, 2008


Share

FacebookTwitterRedditEmail


We rely on your support to make local news available to all

Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

kobayashixmasfruitcake1208.jpgCompetitive eater Takeru Kobayashi will do what no one wants to do: eat all the leftover holiday fruitcake! This is all part of the Major League Eating’s Holiday Food Bank Giving Initiative; the MLE tells us that "Kobayashi will attempt to break the fruitcake-eating world record, seeking to consume all fruitcake leftover from the holidays. The event is designed to benefit the Food Bank For New York City and to raise awareness of the crisis faced by food banks across the nation in the current economic environment."

Unbelievably, there actually is a current record holder for such a thing—in 2001 Sonya Thomas ate 4 lbs and 14 ¼ ounces of the stuff in 10 minutes, and holds the record to this day. Want to see history go down (and possibly come up)? Stay tuned for photos this Friday, after Kobayashi chows down at Gabriella’s Restaurant on Columbus and 93rd.

This will be Kobayashi's first time trying to down fruitcakes, which the MLE tells us "come from various places, some donated. Most of them are these dense Old Fashion Claxton Fruit Cakes that are like a 1-pound brick of pure fruity cakeness." But where's Joey Chestnut during all of this?

Tagged

charity

Competitive Eating

fruitcake

Major League Eating

mle

takeru kobayashi


Jen Carlson

Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

Read more

Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


MORE arts-entertainment

The Knicks are NBA champions. Now they have to start dressing the part.

Before they attempt to fend off LeBron James and the 76ers on Tuesday, the Knicks will have a chance to show off their winning mentality through their tunnel fits.

By

Sonia Rao

Published Oct 19, 2026


Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.

Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.

By

Sonia Rao

Arts & Entertainment

Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.

Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.

By

Sonia Rao


Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?

By

Elizabeth Shwe

and

James Ramsay

How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years

By

Hannah Frishberg

A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson

By

Sonia Rao


Never miss a story

Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.

Sign upEmail address

By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .