When Adam Shah came to Orlando 12 years ago, he had never lived outside of his hometown of Sherrills Ford, North Carolina. His dreams were as big as his height (6 feet 8 inches, 350 pounds) and he needed the nutrition to maintain the physique that would lead him to WWE superstardom as the monster of monsters, Braun Strowman. But he didn’t have much money.
“One day I was driving around and saw a Beefy King sign,” said Stroman, who was couchsurfing with friends at the time. “I’ve always been a fan of mom-and-pop establishments.” In fact, his first job was running tables at a place in his hometown called Butcher Boys Cafe.
“When I tried the beefy, I was like, ‘Wow, this is really good. And I can afford it. I fell in love with this place knowing that I could get something that would fit my macros, give me calories, and be of good quality.’
And they’re with him, said third-generation Beefy King owner Shannon Woodrow.
“We saw him a lot, and he was a really sweet guy,” she says. “Big smile, very friendly…He’s just a really nice guy. I know he looks big and intimidating, but he’s truly one of the nicest people I’ve ever met.”
The Superstar’s profile on WWE.com says, “Destruction is his passion…” but on Strowman’s new USA Network show, “Everything on the Menu,” the monster only destroys a few XL Beefies at one of Orlando’s most iconic sandwich shops and a chicken coop’s worth of grilled chicken, especially at Mills 50 Toritori, as he eats his way around his adopted home.
Additionally, there are some stereotypes.
“A lot of people judge a book right away by its cover,” Stroman says. He is a glass-half-glass man, large and at the same time amiable. “People look at my height and the good fortune and blessings I have, but they don’t know what it took to get to this point.”
Strowman had humble beginnings.
“We weren’t very wealthy, but we never went without a meal, and mom and dad had incredible cooking skills, sometimes creating amazing dishes from nothing,” he says. “I never had the opportunity to dive into the finer side of the culinary world. Steaks were a birthday or Christmas thing.”
Traveling around the world with WWE opened his eyes to the richness of kitchens at home and abroad.
“From this experience, I learned how much I love experiencing new things, and now I love helping others do the same, getting out of the usual box and trying something different. That’s life.”
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On “Menu,” Stroman shows off his versatility not only as an on-air personality (no ambulance diversions here) but also as a gourmand. Episodes in Season 1 take us all over the United States, including Fort Worth, Texas. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Each restaurant features rustic local favorites and popular dog-friendly spots, including Washington, DC. The menu has everything.
Tori Tori, recognized by the Michelin Guide, occupies an entire low table in the trendy restaurant’s lounge space. Unlike the people at Beefy, chef and owner Sean “Sonny” Nguyen only met Stroman on the day of the shoot. However, in the end, the two became friends in the kitchen and bonded like brothers.
“We may or may not have used spray bottles to give each other alcohol while we were cooking,” Nguyen quipped, but said it was an honor to be chosen to represent the city on a national level.
“He’s such a great guy, with great taste and an appreciation for food. We literally had him make everything on Tori Tori’s menu: every skewer, every bite of the bar, every piece of the raw bar. He tasted it all at once. And what really surprised me was how he could pinpoint the flavors and ingredients used just by tasting. He’s serious about his food.”
But part of what makes the show so enjoyable is that it’s not too serious. He also has an interest in supporting his hometown. Not just the restaurant, but the community as a whole. When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Stroman, by then a longtime regular, hit the field as often as he could, Woodrow said.
“And at that point, he asked if everyone at the hospital could donate $2,500 worth of Beefy Kings,” she says. Strowman teamed up with another favorite, Jimmy Fuller, to do the same thing.
“We were able to help 1,000 Advent Orlando Health employees on the front lines,” he tells me.
“It speaks so eloquently about what these restaurants do, what they mean to their communities, and their continued commitment, and it’s great to be a part of that.”
Now, he’s part of Beefy King’s nearly 60-year history, and Stroman’s “The Monster” sandwich, which appears on the show, is a major new menu addition ($16.50) featuring turkey, ham, corned beef, pastrami and roast beef with cheese.
“It’s a humbling honor,” Stroman said, but Woodrow was also happy to have him sign a Beefy King visor as a surprise for the first person to order a sandwich.
“He’s a huge wrestling fan and came just for the show,” Woodrow said. He received congratulations from his team during the lunch rush. “He went outside and took a picture with it in front of the sign, and he just beamed.”
Stroman says he feels blessed to be in the midst of launching a new certified organic tequila brand, Quintalisa.
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“Because without my fans and this community, I wouldn’t have Braun Strowman, I wouldn’t have Everything on the Menu, I wouldn’t have Adam Schar. And having a close relationship with restaurants in the city is the least I can do.”
He’s not just “huge,” he says.
“There’s something in me that puts a smile on people’s faces. I’m good at it. And I really love doing it.”
Watch all eight episodes of Everything on the Menu, including the Orlando episode, on USA Network.
Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram @amydroo or the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com. For even more foodie fun, join our Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group.
