Man eats at 18 Michelin-starred restaurants in 24 hours

Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A New York foodie broke a Guinness World Record by dining at 18 Michelin-starred restaurants in 24 hours.

Eric Finkelstein, 34, said his interest in dining out spiked when he moved back to New York in 2021, and a Discord group he joined about city restaurants brought his attention to the Guinness World Record for most Michelin-starred restaurants visited in 24 hours.

"I loved the idea," Finkelstein told Guinness World Records. "It combined my loves of eating interesting food, working towards a checklist, and working towards something silly."

Finkelstein said the attempt took months of planning and working to align reservations at some of the more in-demand eateries.

The food fan started his attempt at Le Pavillon in Midtown and ended at Sushi bar Noda.

Finkelstein said he spent a total $494 on food, not counting tax or tips. He estimated the attempt caused him to consume about 5,000 calories in one day.

Finkelstein, a former competitive table tennis player, previously set the Guinness World Records for longest table tennis serve (51 feet, 1 inch) and largest table tennis ball mosaic (313 square feet, 6 square inches).