A chef with Michelin-star training has been publicly accused of a brazen cheating scandal at a popular Thai restaurant's extreme eating challenge, allegedly hiding handfuls of curry and rice in his backpack to fraudulently claim cash prizes.
The Stench of Curry That Gave Him Away
The incident unfolded on December 17, 2025, at the Gold Curry Bangkok restaurant. Sebastian Schwesinger, a 37-year-old from Leipzig, Germany, had taken on the establishment's formidable 10kg (22lbs) curry and rice challenge. According to staff, he began eating at 3:10pm and declared he was finished by 3:50pm.
Initially, employees did not suspect foul play. However, suspicion arose when an attentive staff member noticed a reflection in the glossy surface of a refrigerator, allegedly showing Schwesinger placing rice into a bag beside him. Manager Jack Witsarut was alerted and reviewed CCTV footage, which he claims confirmed the deceptive act.
"I saw that it was true," Witsarut stated. "Because the security camera was far away and the images were not very clear, I asked the staff to continue watching and record video as evidence." Shortly after this surveillance began, Schwesinger reportedly announced he could not finish the challenge.
A Pattern of Alleged Deception Across Multiple Restaurants
When staff confronted Schwesinger and requested to inspect his bag, he refused. They noted the backpack "stunk of curry." The situation escalated, leading staff to call the Thonglor Police as the German national allegedly tried to leave, claiming he had no money to pay for the massive meal he had not fully consumed.
The restaurant's investigation did not stop there. Staff checked records at their sister venues and now allege this was not an isolated incident. They claim Schwesinger successfully cheated his way to victory in similar 'man vs food' challenges at two other branches, collecting total prize money of 30,000 Thai baht (approximately £715).
In one alleged prior win, a photo shows him giving a triumphant double thumbs-up after apparently devouring a 6kg plate with five minutes to spare. CCTV reviews from December 12 allegedly show him scooping food into his left hand and depositing it into a bag during the failed 10kg attempt.
No Record and Unbelievable Speed Raise Red Flags
Manager Jack Witsarut expressed astonishment at the speed of Schwesinger's earlier alleged victories. "We were surprised by how quickly he was able to finish the challenges, especially the first time he completed six kilos," he said. "We found no record of him being a competitive eater."
He emphasised the extraordinary nature of the claimed feats: "For him to finish eight kilogrammes in 40 minutes would have been considered record-breaking in Thailand. Even professionals usually take much longer and often film themselves during eating challenges, but he did not."
Witsarut also addressed why staff weren't monitoring him more closely, explaining that employees must serve other customers and that constant staring can make competitors feel pressured.
The fallout from the scandal is ongoing. Schwesinger was required to leave his passport at the restaurant and returned the next day to settle the bill. Gold Curry, a Japanese curry chain with eight Bangkok branches, has warned other restaurants to blacklist Sebastian Schwesinger from their eating competitions. The business partners are considering whether to pursue a formal legal case against the tourist.
Gold Curry's extreme curry rice challenges, offering cash prizes from 10,000 to 40,000 baht for finishing portions of 2kg to 10kg within an hour, are known for their difficulty, with very few customers succeeding legitimately. Metro has attempted to reach Mr Schwesinger for comment.
