Man v. Food host digs Knoxville
by Hannah Huber
It's not every day that one of America's favorite reality TV shows chooses one of our local restaurants to shoot a new episode. Sweet P's BBQ on Maryville Pike was lucky enough to craft up a new food challenge in the form of a barbecue burrito for Man v. Food host, Adam Richman Friday afternoon. The episode will air on the Travel Channel on Oct. 19.
Before he headed to Sweet P's to battle his nemesis, Richman was sighted at a few places around Knoxville this past week. Sources have reported seeing him dine at Ye Olde Steakhouse on Chapman Highway and Downtown Grill and Brewery on Gay Street. On its official Facebook page, the Brewery was proud to inform locals about the visit, saying "the late night menu treated him right! Buff. wrap with grilled chicken and guacamole... (We) might have to name it after him."
Richman's final dining destination was Sweet P's, where he was presented with the El Gigante Challenge that involved eating a 5-pound burrito, 1/2 pound of mac'n cheese and a 1/2 pound of banana pudding, all in under an hour. Donning a "Hecho En Brooklyn" t-shirt, Richman sported a pair of khaki pants and a motorcycle jacket. He prepped for the grueling burrito face-off by listening to his ipod and cutting up with his crew members.
Between getting his makeup applied, then reapplied, and reading through his script, Richman enjoyed chatting with the locals in the restaurant and even featured some of them on the show. Sydney Brasher, a junior at UT was asked to participate in the filming. She had a one-on-one with Richman, telling him about the lunch she was having and how she felt about Sweet P's. Sydney had heard Richman would be at the restaurant and went with her buddies to check out the action. She was surprised to be featured in the show and, being a huge fan, was quite star struck. Although Sydney felt nervous, she said Adam was very interactive with her and made her feel comfortable. With a giggle, she added "I did feel pretty awkward eating in front of the camera."
Even though I can't tell you who won the competition, man or food, I can tell you that Richman is an enthusiastic Vols fan. Before heading out of town, he tweeted, "Game day in Knoxville! The energy here is insane! This football fan is psyched for the season ahead. Go Vols!" In his following posts, he added "To paraphrase the great Wooderson of 'Dazed and Confused,' 'I love these college girls - I get older, they stay the same age.'" Does that mean Richman is a fan of UT's college girls, as well?
P.S. from Rose K.: It may end up on the cutting room floor, but Richman did conduct at least one interview concerning Knoxville barbecue--is there a distinct one? We covered the same issue a few months back in our Barbecue Bible.
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