New Bedford Legend Nick Dompierre Sets Food Challenge Record

Why is it always the fittest folks who feast the hardest?

On September 23, New Bedford native Nick "Diesel" Dompierre returned home and made history at Play Arcade by becoming the first and only person to complete its massive four-stage “Play With Your Food” challenge – and he did it in just under 28 minutes.

Meanwhile, I struggle with a simple footlong sandwich from Subway.

Hometown Hero at Play Arcade

The nutritionist, fitness coach, former pro skateboarder and now professional eater grew up in the Whaling City, and on that Monday he walked into Play Arcade on Union Street with one goal: defeat the challenge no one else could finish. Three people had attempted before him, two tapped out early, and not a single soul had ever seen Stage 3.

READ MORE: New Bedford Restaurant Unleashes Wild Four-Stage Food Challenge

Dompierre not only reached the final round but demolished the entire lineup in 27 minutes and 55 seconds.

Stage One: Slider Sprint

The gauntlet kicked off with Beef Slider Beach: six "Juicy Lucy"-style sliders packed with cheese and topped with garlic onion jam on toasted brioche buns. Each patty weighed three ounces, stuffed with one ounce of cheese. Nick powered through at a pace of one burger per minute, clearing the plate in under six minutes.

Stage Two: Tetris Tot Tower

Next up was Puzzle Pass, a full pound of loaded tater tots stacked with bacon, cheese, and scallions. Dompierre compared the crispy bites to McDonald’s hash browns, only bigger and better. While another competitor once hit the wall here, Dompierre made it look easy, polishing them off with steady focus.

Stage Three: Pizza Power Play

For his specialty pie, Dompierre went with the "Hot Portuguese," featuring linguiça, pineapple, jalapeños, and Mozambique sauce. The pizza proved the toughest round, with chewy crust and big volume slowing his pace. Still, slice by slice, he powered through until the last bite, fueled by sips of Mexican Coca-Cola, one of his favorite go-to beverages.

Stage Four: The Sweet Finish

Finally came Mount Dessert: a warm cookie skillet crowned with ice cream, Oreos, chocolate chips, caramel drizzle, and whipped cream. After three heavy rounds of savory, this sweet finale was the push he needed. Without breaking stride, he became the first competitor ever to clear Stage Four.

Wall of Fame Immortalized

With a clean plate and a full stomach, Dompierre locked in the record time. For his efforts, he walked away with a $60 Play Arcade gift card, a challenge t-shirt, and most importantly, his photo on the coveted Wall of Fame.

“This challenge had variety, which kept it fun. Some contests are just 30 minutes of the same flavor, but this was different,” Dompierre said after thanking owner Adam Katz and chef Matt Jezierski for creating it.

For now, his time of 27:55 stands unbeaten. The question is, will anyone else dare to try?