What is Joey Chestnut's Net Worth and Career Earnings?
Joey Chestnut is an American competitive eater with a net worth of $3 million. Joey Chestnut is arguably the most successful competitive eater in history. He first became famous in 2007 when he won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest for the first time. On July 4, 2023, he won the competition for the 16th time. At various times in history, Joey has been the top-ranked eater in the world by the Major League of Eating.
Chestnut's journey to becoming a competitive eating icon began in 2005 when he debuted at the Nathan's contest, consuming 32 hot dogs. He quickly rose through the ranks, dethroning the previous champion, Takeru Kobayashi, in 2007. Since then, Chestnut has been a dominant force in the world of competitive eating.
In addition to his success at the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, Chestnut has set numerous records in various food disciplines. These include eating 182 chicken wings in 30 minutes, 141 hard-boiled eggs in 8 minutes, and 53 soft beef tacos in 10 minutes. His most impressive performance came in 2021 when he consumed 76 hot dogs and buns in just 10 minutes, setting a new world record. His remarkable ability to consume large quantities of food quickly has earned him the nickname "Jaws" and has made him a household name in the competitive eating community.
Annual Earnings
The top prize for winning Nathan's is $10,000. It's not a ton of money, but it provides, by far, the most exposure all these athletes will receive throughout the year. A top competitive eater can easily earn $250,000 – $500,000 per year from prize money and sponsorships. Joey's longtime rival, Takeru Kobayashi, has not competed at Nathan's in recent years ever since Takeru found himself involved in a contract dispute with the Major League Eating organization.
Joey has a line of condiments sold under his name. He sells mustard, dipping sauce, coney sauce, hot sauce and more.
Impossible Foods Endorsement
In June 2024, it was revealed that Joey had signed a 4-year, $1.2 million endorsement deal with vegan food company Impossible Foods. The deal, which works out to an average annual payment of $400,000, somewhat precludes Joey from participating in Nathan's annual Fourth of July contest. He was not BANNED from the contest, as many outlets reported at the time of the announcement.
Netflix Kobayashi Showdown
A day after his Impossible Foods deal was announced, it was revealed that Joey had signed a deal with Netflix to do a live face-off against Kabayashi. The live event, which is called "Chestnut Vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef," will air on September 2, 2024.
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Early Life
Joey Chestnut was born on November 25, 1983, in Fulton County, Kentucky. After finishing high school, he attended San Jose State University, where he first began participating in eating competitions in 2005. He didn't graduate until 2012, in part because he was often traveling for food competitions.
One of Joey's first major events was an asparagus-eating competition. Joey came in first place, beating high-ranked eater Rich LeFevre, after eating nearly six and a half pounds of deep-fried asparagus in just 11.5 minutes.
Turning Professional
In 2005, he entered his first, of what would become many, Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. He placed third, having swallowed 32 hot dogs. Sonya Thomas placed second with 37. The winner was Takeru Kobayashi, with 49. The same year, he set a new world record for eating 32.5 grilled cheese sandwiches in ten minutes, winning the GoldenPalace World Grilled Cheese Eating Championship.
Chestnut's eating stardom continued to rise, defeating Sonya Thomas in the Waffle House World Waffle Eating Championship and placing second in the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship. Both events were also in 2005.
At the 2006 Nathan's event, Kobayashi set the world record with 53 and 3/4ths completed. Joey finished second with 52, which set the US record.
The next year, Chestnut won the Wing Bowl XV in Philadelphia, eating 182 chicken wings in 30 minutes. He also finally was victorious at the annual Nathan's Contest. Chestnut beat six-year reigning champion Kobayashi by eating 66 hotdogs to Kobayashi's 63. Rounding out 2007, Joey won the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship, consuming 103 Krystal burgers in under eight minutes.
Joey went on to win eight straight Nathan's Contests between 2007 and 2015.
In both 2020 and 2021, he set new records, eating 75 and then 76 hot dogs in only 10 minutes. In 2022, he won his 15th Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest title despite a protestor interrupting the contest whom Chestnut placed in a chokehold. He still ate 63 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
Matt Stonie won the 2015 contest. However, he redeemed himself in 2016 by eating 70 hot dogs, taking the title back and setting a new record. Joey proceeded to win the next dive between 2016 and 2020.
Joey's record in one competition is 76 hot dogs.
In 2008, Chestnut set two new world records. In February, he set a new record at the Wing Bowl, eating 241 wings in 30 minutes. He also ate 78 matzo balls during the Kenny & Ziggy's World Matzoh Ball Eating Championship in Houston. In March, he set a new male record at The Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, by eating a 4.5-pound ribeye steak, salad, baked potato, shrimp cocktail, and roll in just under nine minutes. He also again won the Nathan's Contest in an eat-off after tying with Kobayashi. A few weeks later, Chestnut lost to Kobayashi in a chicken satay eating contest, consuming almost nine pounds of chicken to Kobayashi's twelve.
The following year, in 2009, Chestnut set another world record by consuming 10.5 pounds of macaroni and cheese in seven minutes. He also again won the Nathan's Contest and beat his previous record by eating 68 hotdogs, nine more than in 2008. However, Kobayashi beat him in the Krystal Hamburger Championship. He also appeared in "Man v. Food," consuming a giant five-pound burrito in just over three minutes.
In 2010, Chestnut won the Shrimp Wontons eating competition in Singapore. He also won the Nathan's Contest for the fourth year in a row but did not manage to beat his previous record. He also won the Pepto Bismol Bratwurst Eating Championship, eating 42 brats in 12 minutes, as well as the Upper Crust Pizza Eating competition, eating 37 slices in 10 minutes. In 2011, he again won the Nathan's Contest. However, Kobayashi set a new world record, eating 69 hotdogs at an off-site event with independent judges. He did not participate in the Nathan's Contest that year as he refused to sign the required contract.
In 2012, Chestnut set a new record at the Toojay's Corned Beef Eating Competition in Palm Beach Gardens by consuming 20 corned beef sandwiches in ten minutes. He also defended his title again at the Nathan's Contest and tied his own personal record of 68 hotdogs. The same year, he also appeared on "Hell's Kitchen" in which he participated in a wing-eating competition against some of the contestants. The next year, he broke his record at the Nathan's Contest by eating 69 hotdogs. He also won at the Hooters World Wing-Eating Championship and the Hillshire Farm Bratwurst Eating World Championship.
Chestnut competed on "The Amazing Race 30" in 2018 alongside fellow competitive eater Tim Janus.
Joey Chestnut is set to compete at the 2023 Jack's Donuts World Donut Hole Eating Championship.
(Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images)
Training
Chestnut has stated that he trains for competitions by fasting and stretching his stomach with milk, water, and protein supplements. He specifically trains for hot dog competitions by eating 40 hot dogs at one time and slowly eating more each day in order to reach competition-winning numbers.
Other Accolades and Records
Competitive eating is a full-time job for Joey. He trains all year round by constantly fasting and stretching his stomach with protein supplements, water, and milk. Throughout the year, Joey's weight fluctuates between 210 and 225 pounds.
Joey holds the records for eating hard-boiled eggs (141 in eight minutes), bratwurst (70 in 10 minutes), Matzoh balls (78 in eight minutes), hot dogs (69 in 10 minutes at the 2013 Nathan's contest), steak (4.5 pounds plus sides in under nine minutes), pork ribs (13.76 pounds in 12 minutes) and asparagus (12.8 pounds in 10 minutes). On July 4, 2016, Joey ate 70 hot dogs. A year later, he ate 72. A year later, he ate a world-record 74. At the 2019 Nathan's contest, he secured a 12th title with 71 dogs eaten. In 2021, Chestnut ate 76 hot dogs settin, setting a new world record. In April 2023, on National Burrito Day, Joey won the first-ever Qdoba World Burrito Eating Championship in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, eating 14.5 burritos in 10 minutes.
Personal Life
Just before defending his title in the 2014 Nathan's competition, Chestnut proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Neslie Ricasa. However, the couple split up a year later, in early 2015, before their scheduled wedding date. Chestnut lives in Westfield, Indiana.
