Jim's Cheesecakes — Review by Randy Santel
Wimborne Minster, United Kingdom — British / English Breakfast
Randy Santel and Josh Krady attempted Jim's Cheesecakes' famous 24-inch English Breakfast Sandwich Challenge in Wimborne Minster, England. Randy successfully completed the challenge in 25 minutes 34 seconds, becoming the second person to finish, while Josh came very close but ran out of time. The restaurant impressed with high-quality breakfast components and an impressive rotating menu of around 40 different cheesecake flavors.
What was great: The English Breakfast Sandwich had excellent quality ingredients including well-cooked bacon, delicious sausages, good black pudding, and grilled tomato halves. The cheesecake options were outstanding, particularly the White Chocolate and Pistachio and Reese's varieties. The restaurant's presentation on a skateboard was creative and fun.
What could improve: The massive amount of bread in the 24-inch sandwich was extremely challenging to consume, making it difficult to finish within the 30-minute time limit.
The Dishes
The main challenge featured a 24-inch loaded French stick sandwich packed with five sausages, five rashers of bacon, five eggs, five pieces of black pudding, five hash browns, five grilled tomato halves, mushrooms, fried bread quarters, and roughly a kilogram of butter throughout. The bacon was pan-fried in hash brown grease, creating a delicious flavor profile that Randy praised. The sausages were Josh's favorite component, described as nice and not overly huge. The black pudding pieces, though described as hockey puck-like, were surprisingly good. The grilled tomato halves were excellent and appreciated more than whole tomatoes would have been. The abundant bread proved to be the challenge's most difficult aspect.
For dessert, Randy chose White Chocolate and Pistachio cheesecake while Josh selected Blueberry. After completing the main challenge, Randy also enjoyed a Reese's cheesecake recommended by Katina and Max, along with a brownie. Both desserts impressed significantly.
The Experience
The challenge took place at Jim's Cheesecakes' Wimborne Minster location with a lively crowd cheering on the competitors. The restaurant creatively served the massive sandwich on an actual skateboard, which helped with presentation and the introduction. The atmosphere was energetic and supportive, with crowd members encouraging both Randy and Josh throughout the 30-minute time limit. Jim and his wife Katy, the restaurant owners, were present and engaged with the challengers. The staff provided spoons to help with any fallen beans and gave time updates to keep competitors aware of their remaining time.
Value & Pricing
The challenge cost £30 if failed, or the meal would be free if completed. Winners also received commemorative t-shirts and their names and photos displayed at the restaurant. This represented excellent value considering the substantial amount of food provided and the entertainment value of the experience.
Notable Moments
Only one winner previously on this challenge besides Randy, who was their friend Max Stanford, finishing in a record 12 minutes and 17 seconds.
Josh nearly beat Max's record during the final minute of eating, causing Randy to remark he could have achieved it if he had eaten at that pace throughout.
The restaurant owner Jim corrected Randy about the availability of beer, leading to laughter from the crowd.
The Verdict
Jim's Cheesecakes proved to be an exceptional food establishment offering both challenging food experiences and high-quality ingredients. The 24-inch English Breakfast Sandwich Challenge is legitimately difficult, with only two successful completions out of approximately 17 attempts, making it a worthy gauntlet for food challenge enthusiasts. The rotating selection of around 40 cheesecake varieties ensures repeat visits will offer new flavor experiences. This restaurant is best suited for adventurous eaters, food challenge competitors, and anyone seeking authentic English breakfast fare paired with creative cheesecake offerings. The combination of challenging portions, quality ingredients, and enthusiastic crowd atmosphere makes Jim's Cheesecakes a memorable dining destination.