The Tomahawk Steak Challenge

"Hello everyone, Kate here! Welcome to Kate Devours All!"

Kate beamed as she began her day's content on YouTube. Between the camera and performer sat a large spread of broasted poultry, mashed potatoes, corn, and a huge cup of cola.

"Today we have a mukbang," she called her performance where she would eat enormous amounts of food on camera and project her thoughts to thousands of watchers, "to stretch my stomach...to prepare to compete for the current season. Let's get started!"

As she clutched the golden breast and began to eat, she watched closely as the counter accelerated. Many who loved to watch her eat logged onto her stream. "Some of you requested a meal from the newest restaurant down the street, Red Rooster's. So far, the food tastes really flavorful."

Kate looked forward to at least ten thousand onlookers for her mukbangs as she was used to. She kept a sharp eye on the counter. Seven hundred...one thousand...two thousand...two-and-a-half thousand. But then, after a half-hour, the counter paused. Her face showed joy, but worry was at her core.

Where are my watchers? She thought as she told mundane tales of her day at the local shops, where she bought fancy purses and new shoes.

Then, a chatter typed a message. "@Kate Devours All: The Aspen Food Pro Show’s on now too. Her mukbang's a lot larger!"

"Aspen's on? Are you for real?"

Her chat responded, "Yes."

Kate rolled her forest green eyes.

Her chat told her, "She has a Tomahawk steak too!"

"NO!"

Aspen's channel posted much the same content as Kate's - mukbangs and contests where people competed to see who could consume large meals the fastest. Aspen was an up-and-comer and Kate was a veteran of food sports, and they possessed a shared fan base.

Kate and Aspen once got along very well, and even hung out face to face as both were from Atlanta. Aspen even looked up to Kate as her mentor, and they guest-starred on each other's shows. Kate had the largest food sports channel on YouTube. Aspen's channel was newer and much smaller, but she saw growth as well. They cooperated and got along well. But that all changed last summer.

***

Early on a gorgeous July day, Kate woke up at a four-star hotel along the Jersey Shore. She was happy to have Aspen as a partner for a team dessert challenge around the corner from the hotel. That day's contest was a warm-up for the next day's event: a brand new Tomahawk steak solo challenge at New York's world-famous Gotham Steakhouse.

After Kate got dolled up, she packed her camera and computer to record the dessert event and walked three blocks to Sweets Café, where the team dessert challenge would be held at two o'clock. She got there shortly before a quarter to two and set up the gear to face a half-booth. Kate then sat at the booth and looked for Aspen.

At two, the server brought out an enormous bowl full of sugary apples, crunchy wafers, heavy sweetened cream, and seven pounds of custard gelato, coated by a blanket of caramel glaze. Kate and Aspen were expected to take no longer than half an hour to eat the whole dessert. Successful teams would be rewarded handsomely. The dessert would be free, the two would be placed on the restaurant's Hall of Fame, and they would each earn a black "Sweets Café" tee.

Dozens of fans and observers entered to watch the team challenge. Kate looked around nervously for Aspen. Ten after...quarter after...twenty after...where's Aspen?

Concerned, Kate called her partner, but the call went unanswered. She attempted to text her, but she found that she was blocked. Really? She really left me to do the challenge by myself.

As the crowd expected a show and she promoted the challenge on her YouTube channel, Kate concluded that the show must go on. "Looks to be a solo endeavor today, but here we go!" Kate shouted bravely.

Over the next half hour, Kate made a strong effort to consume the large gelato dessert. "The gelato's very sweet and cold, so delectable!" She chewed on the apples, crunched the wafers, tasted the cream, and ate spoonfuls of gelato. But as the clock got closer to the half-hour end of the contest, Kate felt full too fast, and only ate three-quarters of the bowl. Because of the defeat, Kate lost out on the rewards and had to pay the café nearly one hundred dollars.

The next day, Kate felt awful. Because she ate the team dessert challenge solo, she stretched her stomach more than expected. She made every effort to prepare for the Tomahawk steak solo challenge later that day. She jogged for several blocks and kept herself from any food. She hoped these steps would help her to be prepared. Her greatest dream was to conquer a brand-new, debut challenge on the country's grandest stage, and she refused to turn back now.

As Kate started to feel better, she showered and got dressed. She wore a purple tank top, stretchy blue jeans, and comfortable black gym shoes. She grabbed her backpack and caught a cab to Manhattan’s Gotham Steakhouse. As she walked through the doors of the restaurant before the seven o'clock event, she observed the large crowd, cameras, and the three other female contestants ready to chow down. One of the contestants was Aspen. She stared at Kate, her bold hazel eyes aflame, her broad mouth curled smugly.

Kate set up her gear and sat next to Aspen, as that was the only empty seat. Aspen was prepared as well, as she donned a green and yellow dress that flared out for her comfort, as well as brown sandals.

"Aspen! Where were you yesterday?" Kate asked harshly.

Aspen shrugged and chuckled. "Stuff came up. Oops." She beamed meanly. "Hope you have an empty stomach."

She really betrayed me. We've been close for years, and she's a total backstabber. Kate had no words. She just glared at her.

The restaurant owner announced the rules of the new challenge: Each contestant would be served a four-pound Tomahawk steak, a pound of lobster mac and cheese, half a pound of brussel sprouts, and half a pound of baked beans. The woman who devours the spread the fastest would be the conqueror. The champ would be posted on the restaurant's brand-new Wall of Fame, get one thousand dollars, and become the brand ambassador for Gotham Steakhouse Steak Sauce, a product sold at grocery stores all over the country.

Kate attempted to forget about Aspen's treachery for the moment, as her goal was to beat the challenge and her three opponents. The challenge began, and the contestants began to eat fast. Kate, the veteran among the group, led the pack.

Aspen has fallen back! Everyone else too!

But as Kate consumed the rare steak, her mouth began to wear out, and her guts started to turn.

Oh no...oh no.

Aspen could see that because she ghosted Kate the day before, she drew blood. She laughed hard as she accelerated.

After a few moments, Kate felt queasy. She knew she could no longer go on, and was forced to stop.

"You gave up," Aspen mouthed to her. "Perhaps you should move on...you can't compete anymore."

Aspen ate very fast and won the contest. She got the glory Kate hoped to earn, and her channel blew up as a result. Kate was angry and embarrassed. She not only lost, but she gave up. Some of her fans called her a coward and a loser. She took a few months off from her YouTube channel and attempted to come back. She focused on much the same content, but the number of watchers decreased markedly. She knew that she must make a major change to stay relevant.

***

"Hello everyone, Kate here! Welcome to Kate Cooks All!"

The camera recorded as she stood at a counter. Several types of vegetables sat on a wooden board ready to be chopped.

"Today, we'll make vegetable samosas. The process takes less than an hour, and we'll make a tasty curry sauce as well."

As she cut the colorful carrots she bought from the farmer's market, she talked about healthy, whole food. She then addressed the new turn of the channel.

"After the months away, Kate Devours All needed to be refreshed. My soul needed to be refreshed. That happens to lots of YouTubers. My channel's not exempt. Hopefully, you'll stay here and watch Kate Cooks All. The new content makes me happy and healthy. Hopefully, you'll be happy and healthy too."

As the chat cheered Kate on and sent her wonderful feedback, she truly glowed.