As the former host of Man Vs. Food, Adam Richman is no stranger to the country's iconic food — and lots of it. Like, burgers that weigh five pounds and a dozen courses of Italian food. So it's only natural that he's the face behind Dixie's new paper plates. Each one can handle up to two pounds of food, and the disposal dishes are getting put to the ultimate test this weekend when Richman hosts a barbecue dinner in Kansas City, where servers deliver meals over tightrope, 40 feet up in the air. It's the kind of challenge Richman thrives on, and we got to talk shop — you know, all things food and freakin' crazy — prior to it.
His favorite 'Man vs. Food' memories aren't about the food.
With 85 episodes under his belt, Richman has participated in and witnessed a lot of challenges: an 11-pound pizza, the hottest hot wings ever, a burger with a dozen patties. But nothing was as memorable as the people he met along the way. "The things I really remember are the fun conversations I had with a chef or something, like learning how to break down a lobster from a real Mainer in Fort Washington," Richman recalls.
Adam's ideal dinner plate would consist of meat, meat, and more meat.
Richman didn't hesitate when we asked what his ultimate, over-the-top meal would be: "I would put a big ol' Katz Deli sandwich with a full order of fries on one [plate]," he said, "and then a barbecue sampler platter from Salt Lick in Driftwood, TX, with turkey, burnt ends, sausage, their amazing slaw, and cornbread."
His affectionate term for the carnivorous meal: "meat love."
A TV pilot served as his motivation to slim down.
Richman scored a gig as host for a new Travel Channel show called Fandemonium, but when he got around to watching the pilot, he wasn't happy. It had nothing to do with the show itself, though. "I hated the way I looked on camera," he said.
After realizing "not liking it was not going to do anything about it," Richman worked with a doctor and a nutritionist to develop a healthier lifestyle, dropping 70 pounds. He went on a restricted-calorie diet, eating about 100-200 calories every two hours, he told Men's Health. The TV show host also cut out white flour and starches, and focused on eating more fiber and lean protein, like yogurt and turkey jerky.
Eating healthy doesn't mean sacrificing flavor.
Richman knows zucchini noodles will never stack up to well-made pasta, but he's got some hacks to make it taste just as indulgent. He likes to make sauce out of avocado or pureed squash with a little bit of coconut oil. "You'd never know it's not full of hundreds of calories," he joked. Richman's other favorite hacks are also Delish favorites: cauliflower crust pizza and sweet potatoes in place of bread-y carbs.
Adam's favorite travel accessory will make you LOL.
"I bring a blender on the road," Richman said. It's something he's done ever since adopting better eating habits, so he can whip up a smoothie or protein shake on the go instead of caving to the options within arm's reach.
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