A 25-year-old TikTok star from Hangzhou, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, has set off a firestorm. Brahm’s luxury buffet adventure in Tokyo, posted April 9. Deng, with a healthy 4.3 million followers on social media as of this writing, was on full display with an extraordinary appetite on a recent date with girlfriend Wu Ting. He feasted on high-quality seafood and other scrumptious treats.
In the video, Deng fills his plate with the most extravagant options. He treats himself to salmon, king crabs, shrimp, Wagyu beef and yes, even an entire tray of cheesecake! He literally said, “I only take the good shit,” Wu told us as he recalled making an indelible impression on all of the expensive food he took. He just decided to spend it on expensive things. This decision is estimated to have cost him from 50,000 to 80,000 yen, about US$350 to US$550.
Deng’s girlfriend, Wu Ting, is a world class competitive eater in her own right. Talk about a big gulp! She took home second prize at a regional eating contest after inhaling 21 noodle bowls in 45 minutes flat! The couple has taken the world by storm and have broken records for their crazy eating accomplishments. Deng gained international notoriety for eating 25kg of king crabs in a single sitting. In the process during that four-hour onslaught, he consumed 35 hamburgers and 30 chicken drumsticks!
Even with all of Deng’s incredible accomplishments, he has been dragged on social media for what many people found to be an arrogant and impudent way to eat. One critic expressed outrage: “This is incredibly selfish! It ruins the experience for other diners.” Another online user added that “no other diner will get to eat salmon today” due to Deng’s large consumption.
In response to the criticism, Deng has remained largely silent but did comment, “They are not happy with me, but that is not my problem.” His unapologetic response is not just the exception, but part of a troubling new norm where social media influencers care more about their followers than moral outrage.
Nutritionist Chen weighed in on the controversy, stating, “Competitive eating is not a talent. It is an extreme form of self-harm to gain online traffic.” This point of view begs the question, what is the impact of eating like this on health and mental health?
Prior to this incident, Deng frequently talked about his gym routine. He had worked out for eight hours just hours before he visited the all-you-can-eat buffet. He attempted to rationalize his pig-out by saying it helped him “maximize the eating.” It’s this combination of grueling workouts and extreme hunger that launched his career in the first place. Devising this peculiar entertainment model has further sparked an important public discourse on the ways competitive eating hinders individuals’ health and others’ ability to enjoy a meal out.
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