Joseph Christian Chestnut (born November 25, 1983) is an American competitive eater. , he is ranked first in the world by

Major League Eating Major League Eating (MLE) is an organization that oversees professional competitive eating events and television specials. The league airs its annual Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest on ESPN. Brothers Richard ...

. On July 4, 2007, Chestnut won the 92nd Annual

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest The Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest is an annual American hot dog competitive eating competition. It is held each year on July 4 at Nathan's Famous' original, and best-known, restaurant at the corner of Surf and Stillwell ...

held at

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Chestnut defeated six-time defending champion Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi by consuming a world record 66

hot dog A hot dog is a grilled, steamed, or boiled sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term ''hot dog'' can also refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener ( Vienna sausage) or a frankfurter ( Frankfurter Würs ...

s and

buns A bun is a type of bread that is round and small enough that it can generally be eaten hand-held. Whether a bun is considered sweetened or unsweetened differs between countries: it is considered sweetened in the United Kingdom, a savory bread in ...

(HDB) in 12 minutes, after losing to Kobayashi in 2005 and 2006. Chestnut would go on to win eight consecutive titles from 2007 to 2014, setting a Nathan's record of 69 HDB in 2013. Chestnut lost the 2015 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest to

Matt Stonie Matthew Kai Stonie (born ) is an American competitive eater and YouTuber. Stonie won the 2015 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, beating 8-time defending champion Joey Chestnut among others. Stonie has gained fame from his YouTube channel, to ...

. On July 4, 2016, Chestnut regained the championship belt from Stonie by eating 70 hot dogs. Chestnut would win the title from 2016 to 2023, setting the current record in 2021 with 76 HDB. On July 4, 2023, he captured his 16th and current title by eating 62 HDB. He was banned from participating in the 2024 contest due to a competing sponsorship with Impossible Foods.

Eating career

2005

Chestnut, a

San Jose State University San José State University (San Jose State or SJSU) is a Public university, public research university in San Jose, California. Established in 1857, SJSU is the List of oldest schools in California, oldest public university on the West Coast of ...

student, entered the competitive eating scene in 2005 with a break-out performance in the deep-fried

asparagus Asparagus (''Asparagus officinalis'') is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus ''Asparagus (genus), Asparagus'' native to Eurasia. Widely cultivated as a vegetable crop, its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable. Description ...

eating championship, in which he beat high-ranked eater Rich LeFevre by eating of asparagus in 11.5 minutes. That same year, during Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, he ate 32 HDB, placing third behind

Takeru Kobayashi is a retired Japanese competitive eating, competitive eater. Described as "the godfather of competitive eating", he is a six-time Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest champion and widely credited with popularizing the sport. Competition and records ...

and Sonya Thomas. On October 22, 2005, Chestnut set a new world record for downing 32.5 grilled cheese sandwiches in ten minutes at the Arizona State Fair, as part of the GoldenPalace.net World Grilled Cheese Eating Championship circuit. Chestnut defeated Thomas in the Waffle House World Waffle Eating Championship and placed second to Kobayashi in a Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship qualifier, eating 56 Krystal Burgers in eight minutes to his 67. He later beat him by eating 91 hamburgers in the finals, finishing second to the 97 hamburgers consumed by Kobayashi.

2006

Chestnut qualified for the 2006 Nathan's Contest by eating 50 HDB. As July 4 approached, there was speculation that 2006 might be the year when Kobayashi would be beaten. It was not to be, however. Although Chestnut turned in a great performance, leading

through most of the contest, the final tally put Chestnut at 52 and Kobayashi at (a new world record). Chestnut lost to Kobayashi in the Johnsonville World Bratwurst Eating Championship in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He ate 45 bratwurst sausages in ten minutes. Kobayashi ate 58.

2007

In 2007, Chestnut won the Wing Bowl XV, an annual

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

event at the Wachovia Center. In this competition, he ate 182 chicken wings in 30 minutes, becoming a Wing Bowl champion and record holder. Chestnut was seen on a YouTube video drinking a gallon of milk in 41 seconds. Joey Chestnut in 2007

On July 4, 2007, Chestnut and Kobayashi battled the field in a record-setting hot dog eating battle in Coney Island in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, New York, at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. Chestnut knocked off Kobayashi 66–63, leading to the latter's first defeat in the contest in six years. On October 28, 2007, between 2:33 and 2:41, Chestnut ate 103 Krystal burgers in the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship in

Chattanooga, Tennessee Chattanooga ( ) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, it is Tennessee ...

. This was Chestnut's personal best, and is the new world record.

2008

Chestnut set two new world records in 2008. On February 1, he ate 241 wings in 30 minutes at the Wing Bowl XVI in Philadelphia. This record was broken by Takeru Kobayashi at the Wing Bowl XX in 2011 with 337 wings. On March 2, 2008, he ate 78 matzo balls during Kenny & Ziggy's World Matzoh Ball Eating Championship in

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

, Texas. On March 24, 2008, Chestnut set a new male record at The Big Texan Steak Ranch restaurant in

Amarillo, Texas Amarillo ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Potter County, Texas, Potter County, though most of the southern half of the city extends into Randall County, Texas, Randall County ...

, by eating a meal of ribeye steak, salad, baked potato, shrimp cocktail, and roll in just eight minutes and 52 seconds. Shortly afterwards, on his show on KKLA, previous record holder Frank Pastore congratulated Chestnut. (The overall human record is 4 minutes and 18 seconds, set by Molly Schuyler on April 19, 2015, on her first of three meals.) On June 21, 2008, Chestnut lost to Takeru Kobayashi in a Pizza Hut P'Zone competition at Sony Studios in Culver City, California. The competition aired on

Spike TV Paramount Network is an American basic cable television channel and the flagship property of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global, who operates it through the MTV Entertainment Group. The network's headquarters are locate ...

on June 21. On July 4, 2008, Chestnut tied Takeru Kobayashi in the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Contest after eating 59 HDB in ten minutes. The tie resulted in a 5 HDB eat-off, which Chestnut won by consuming all five HDBs before Kobayashi. The 59 is a new record in the competition based on the reduction from 12 minutes to ten minutes. Chestnut weighed in at . On July 28, 2008, Chestnut lost to Takeru Kobayashi in Chicken Satay eating in the MLE Asia inaugural event. He consumed just over to Kobayashi's almost . On August 23, 2008, Chestnut defeated IFOCE's second highest-ranked competitive eater Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti in the second Gyoza Eating Championship in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California. He devoured 231 gyoza, setting a new world record; he beat his previous record of 212, set at the inaugural event in 2006 when he narrowly defeated Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas (210). Thomas did not attend the 2008 event due to budgetary and travel costs. On October 12, 2008, he consumed 45 slices of pizza, winning the "Famous Famiglia World Pizza Eating Championship", which was held in

Times Square Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and Neighborhoods in New York City, neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway (Manhattan), ...

in New York. This was beaten by Bertoletti with 47 slices a few weeks later.

2009

On February 21, 2009, Chestnut consumed of macaroni and cheese in seven minutes during halftime at the San Jose Stealth

lacrosse Lacrosse is a contact team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game w ...

game, beating out his contestants and adding another world record to his name. On July 4, 2009, Chestnut topped his previous record of 59 HDB by consuming 68 HDB in the 2009 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. On September 27, 2009, Chestnut lost to Takeru Kobayashi in Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship. He ate 81 hamburgers. Kobayashi ate 93. On '' Man v. Food'' in San Jose, California, Chestnut ate Iguana's Burritozilla: a , 17-inch burrito in three minutes, ten seconds.

2010

On May 8, 2010, Chestnut won Shrimp Wontons eating in Singapore. Chestnut ate 380 wontons in eight minutes to set a new world record. On July 4, 2010, Chestnut secured his fourth straight Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest, by consuming 54 HDB in what he described himself as a disappointing performance. On September 25, 2010, at the Phantom Gourmet Food Fest in Boston, Massachusetts, Chestnut won the Upper Crust Pizza Eating competition by eating 37 slices in ten minutes. He beat

Bob Shoudt Bob Shoudt (born October 16, 1966), also known as "Humble Bob" or "Notorious B.O.B." (the name of his YouTube channel), is an American competitive eater from Royersford, Pennsylvania. He holds numerous eating records, including the most food eve ...

by one slice.

2011

On July 4, 2011, Chestnut secured his fifth straight Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest, by consuming 62 HDB. Kobayashi, who could not participate in the contest because of his refusal to sign the required contract, ate 69 HDB at an off-site event with independent judges to establish a new world record.

2012

On March 17, 2012, Chestnut set a new world record by eating 20 half-pound corned beef sandwiches in ten minutes at the annual Toojay's Corned Beef Eating Competition in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti finished in second place. On July 4, 2012, Chestnut successfully defended his title at Nathan's 97th Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest at

Coney Island Coney Island is a neighborhood and entertainment area in the southwestern section of the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The neighborhood is bounded by Brighton Beach to its east, Lower New York Bay to the south and west, and Gravesend to ...

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

. He tied his own world record by swallowing 68 HDB in ten minutes, which earned him his 6th "mustard belt" for this competition. On July 16, 2012, Chestnut made a guest appearance on the 12th episode of ''Hell's Kitchen'' season 10, in which he participated in a wing-eating competition against a few of the contestants. He ended up winning the contest and earned $500. On August 27, 2012, Chestnut cursed at Hofmann Hot dog and Kobayashi, stating in a

Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...

post, "Congrats to @FReeKobio704 for eating a bunch of nasty Hoffman crap dogs. He needed an ego boost after three years of dodging competition."On September 2, 2012, Chestnut consumed 191 wings () in 12 minutes to win the 1st place competitive-eating trophy at the

National Buffalo Wing Festival National Buffalo Wing Festival or Wing Fest is a weekend festival held on Labor Day weekend at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, New York, United States, celebrating the Buffalo style chicken wing. The festival culminates with the IFOCE sanctioned B ...

Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...

. He defeated the previous five-year champion Sonya Thomas. JoeyChestnutPoutine

On October 13, 2012, Chestnut won the Third Annual Smoke's Poutinerie World

Poutine Poutine () is a dish of french fries and cheese curds topped with a hot brown gravy. It emerged in Quebec in the late 1950s in the Centre-du-Québec region, though its exact origins are uncertain, and there are several competing claims regar ...

Eating Championships in

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, by consuming 19 boxes () of poutine in ten minutes.

2013

On July 4, 2013, Chestnut successfully defended his title at Nathan's 98th Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest at

. He beat his own world record of 68 by consuming 69 HDB in ten minutes, which earned him his 7th '' Mustard Belt'' for this competition. On July 25, 2013, Chestnut ate 179 wings in ten minutes taking the title for the second year in a row at the

Hooters Hooters is the registered trademark used by two American restaurant chains: Hooters, Inc., based in Clearwater, Florida, and Hooters of America, Inc. based in Atlanta, Georgia, and owned by the private investment firm Nord Bay Capital (with Tr ...

World Wing-Eating Championship held in

Clearwater, Florida Clearwater is a city and the county seat of Pinellas County, Florida, United States, west of Tampa, Florida, Tampa and north of St. Petersburg, Florida, St. Petersburg. To the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and to the southeast lies T ...

. On September 22, 2013, Chestnut ate 70 bratwursts to set the world record and take his fourth straight title, at the Hillshire Farm Bratwurst Eating World Championship held at Oktoberfest Zinzinnati in

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ; colloquially nicknamed Cincy) is a city in Hamilton County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Settled in 1788, the city is located on the northern side of the confluence of the Licking River (Kentucky), Licking and Ohio Ri ...

2014

On July 4, 2014, Chestnut ate more hot dogs and buns than any of his opponents, narrowly defeating competitor

. He successfully ate 61 hot dogs and buns to Stonie's 56, making this his eighth consecutive win. Prior to the event, Chestnut proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Neslie Ricasa.

2015

On July 4, 2015, Chestnut was defeated by Stonie. He successfully ate 60 hot dogs and buns, but Stonie improved since 2014 and consumed 62 hot dogs and buns, ending Chestnut's eight-year run as champion. After a Denver Outlaws lacrosse game on May 24, Chestnut set a World Record eating 14.25lbs of Illegal Pete's Burritos in 10 minutes, beating the previous record of 11.81 set in 2007 by Tim "Eater X" Janus.

2016

On July 4, 2016, Chestnut redeemed himself with 70 hot dogs and buns with Stonie behind with 53 hot dogs and buns. On September 4, 2016, he won his third consecutive title at the United States Chicken Wing Eating Championships in Buffalo, New York, by eating 188 wings in 12 minutes.

2017

On July 4, 2017, Chestnut defended his title and ate 72 hot dogs and buns. This was his 10th title and once again set a new Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest record. Carmen Cincotti was the closest competitor with 60.

2018

In 2018, Chestnut competed in '' The Amazing Race 30'' alongside fellow competitive eater Tim Janus. On July 4, Chestnut won his 11th title at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest with a new record of 74 hot dogs and buns.

2019

On July 4, 2019, Chestnut won his 12th title at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, eating 71 hot dogs and buns. On October 19, 2019, Chestnut won the 2019 World Poutine Eating Championship in Toronto, Canada, after eating 28 pounds of poutine in 10 minutes and set a new world record.

2020

On July 4, 2020, Chestnut won his 13th title at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, eating a record-breaking 75 hot dogs and buns in ten minutes. The event was held indoors, with fewer competitors and without spectators, due to

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

. On August 1, 2020, Chestnut ate of pizza in 32 minutes and 14 seconds in a

MrBeast James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson (born May 7, 1998), commonly known by his online alias MrBeast, is an American YouTuber, media personality, and businessman. His YouTube videos, where he often hosts elaborate challenges and philanthropic effor ...

YouTube video in Greenville, North Carolina. On October 1, 2020, Chestnut guest starred on the animated series ''

Scooby-Doo and Guess Who? ''Scooby-Doo and Guess Who?'' is an American animated television series produced by Warner Bros. Animation and Chris Bailey and the thirteenth television series in the ''Scooby-Doo'' franchise. The show first premiered on Boomerang's SVOD s ...

'', voicing himself.

2021

On July 4, 2021, Chestnut won his 14th title at Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, eating 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes, a new record. On October 10, 2021, Chestnut won The 2021 Destination Outlets World Pumpkin Pie Eating Championship in Jeffersonville, Ohio, consuming 16 lbs 12 oz of pumpkin pie in 8 minutes.

2022

On July 4, 2022, Chestnut captured his 15th Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest title by eating 63 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. The contest was interrupted by a protestor, whom Chestnut placed in a chokehold.

2023

On April 6, 2023 (National Burrito Day), Chestnut won the first-ever Qdoba World Burrito Eating Championship in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, consuming 14.5 burritos in 10 minutes. On July 4, 2023, Chestnut consumed 62 hot dogs and won his 16th Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest title. The contest was nearly canceled due to thunderstorms, but ended up starting after a 2-hour delay. Chestnut reportedly played a “significant role” in reversing the previously announced decision to cancel.

2024

On June 11, 2024, Chestnut was banned from participating in the 2024 Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating contest due to Chestnut accepting sponsorship from Impossible Foods, a Nathan's competitor. Chestnut responded by saying a rule change regarding sponsors was the basis for his ban. MLE clarified he could still appear at the annual contest. Chestnut instead agreed to attend

Fort Bliss Fort Bliss is a United States Army post in New Mexico and Texas, with its headquarters in El Paso, Texas. Established in 1848, the fort was renamed in 1854 to honor William Wallace Smith Bliss, Bvt.Lieut.Colonel William W.S. Bliss (1815–1853 ...

' Pop Goes the Fort celebration and compete in a 4-versus-1 eating competition with a five-minute time limit. He ate 57 hot dogs in five minutes, nearly tying Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest champion Patrick Bertoletti's count of 58 hot dogs in ten minutes. Chestnut won the contest, as the four Army soldiers ate 49 hot dogs all together, with Impossible Foods donating $106,000 to Operation Homefront as a result. Chestnut competed against

in September 2024 in a live-streamed

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

event titled '' Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef''. He won the event, eating 83 hot dogs and buns to Kobayashi's 66.

Training

Chestnut trains by fasting and by stretching his stomach with milk, water and protein supplements. He prefers milk from mountain goats that reside in the Andes Mountains due to its high calcium content. Since the start of his competitive eating career, his competition weight has varied from . After winning his sixth consecutive hot dog eating contest in 2012 by eating 68 hot dogs, he stated, "I will not stop until I reach 70. This sport isn't about eating. It's about drive and dedication, and at the end of the day, hot dog eating challenges both my body and my mind." He says he trains for hot dog eating competitions by cooking hot dogs at his house and then eating them in a simulated competition style. He starts with 40 hot dogs and then works his way up until he is in game shape. He compared it to running or lifting weights for athletes.

Personal life

Chestnut was born in

Fulton County, Kentucky Fulton County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Kentucky, with the Mississippi River forming its western boundary. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,515. Its county seat is Hickman and its largest city is Fulton. The ...

, and grew up in

Vallejo, California Vallejo ( ; ) is a city in Solano County, California, United States, and the second largest city in the North Bay (San Francisco Bay Area), North Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Bay Area. Located on the shores of San Pablo Bay, the ci ...

. He holds a degree in engineering and construction management from

. He proposed to his longtime girlfriend Neslie Ricasa just before defending his title in the 2014 Nathan's competition. The couple split up in early 2015, prior to their scheduled wedding date. Chestnut resides in

Westfield, Indiana Westfield is a city in Hamilton County, Indiana, United States. It is a northern suburb of Indianapolis. As of 2023, the population was 58,410. Westfield is in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. History Westfield was founded on May 6, 1834, b ...

World records held

2007

Chicken The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...

wings – Long Form: 182 wings in 30 minutes ( Wachovia Center in

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, on February 2, 2007) at the Wing Bowl * Krystal hamburgers: 103 Krystal Burgers in eight minutes (

, on October 28, 2007) at the Krystal Square Off * Kolaches: 56 sausage and cheese kolaches in eight minutes (

, Texas, on September 14, 2007) at the Kolache Factory World Kolache Eating Championship * Pulled pork sandwiches: 45 sandwiches in ten minutes (

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Myrtle Beach is a resort city on the East Coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is located in the center of a long and continuous stretch of beach known as the "Grand Strand” in the northeastern part of the state. Its ...

, on September 1, 2007) at the Myrtle Beach World BBQ Eating Championship

2008

Steak A steak is a cut of meat sliced across muscle fibers, sometimes including a bone. It is normally Grilling, grilled or Pan frying, fried, and can be diced or cooked in sauce. Steaks are most commonly cut from cattle (beefsteak), but can also ...

Big Texan 72oz Steak 8:52 *7lb "Sasquatch" Burger 7:36

2009

Funnel cake Funnel cake ( Pennsylvania German: ''Drechderkuche'') is a regional sweet food popular in North America, found mainly at carnivals and amusement parks. It is made by deep-frying batter. History The concept of the funnel cake dates back to the e ...

: in ten minutes (

Kings Dominion Kings Dominion is an amusement park in Doswell, Virginia, United States, north of Richmond, Virginia, Richmond and south of Washington, D.C. Owned and operated by Six Flags, the park opened to the public on May 3, 1975, featuring over 60 rid ...

Doswell, Virginia Doswell is an unincorporated community in Hanover County in the Central Region of the U.S. state of Virginia. Originally called Hanover Junction, it was located on the Virginia Central Railroad (later, part of the C&O) at a crossing of the ...

, on May 23, 2009) at the Kings Dominion World Funnel Cake Championship

2011

Philly cheesesteak A cheesesteak (also known as a Philadelphia cheesesteak, Philly cheesesteak, cheesesteak sandwich, cheese steak, or steak and cheese) is a sandwich made from thinly sliced pieces of beefsteak and melted cheese in a long hoagie roll. A popular ...

: 23 6" Cheesesteaks in ten minutes (

Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an Amusement park, amusement and water park located in Dorneyville, Pennsylvania, outside Allentown, Pennsylvania, Allentown, in the United States. Owned and operated by Six Flags, Six Flags Entertainment Corpor ...

Allentown Allentown may refer to: Places * Allentown, California, now called Toadtown, California * Allentown, Georgia, a city in four counties in Georgia * Allentown, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Tazewell County * Allentown, New Jersey, a boroug ...

, Pennsylvania, on May 21, 2011) at the World CheeseSteak Eating Championship @ Dorney Park *

Pizza Hut Pizza Hut, LLC is an American multinational pizza restaurant chain and international franchise founded in 1958 in Wichita, Kansas, by brothers Dan and Frank Carney. The chain, headquartered in Plano, Texas, operates 19,866 restaurants worldw ...

P'Zones: 7.5 P'Zones in ten minutes (

Spike Guys' Choice Awards The Guys Choice (formerly known as Spike Guys Choice Awards) was an awards show produced by the Viacom cable channel Spike from 2007 to 2016. The winners were originally chosen based on voting by the channel's fans and viewers until 2015, when th ...

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, California, on June 4, 2011) at the Pizza Hut P'Zone Eating CHOW-lenge * Salt potatoes: of salt potatoes ( Baldwinsville, New York, on May 14, 2011) at the Salt Potato World Eating Championship *

Taco Bell Taco Bell Corp. is an American multinational chain of fast food restaurants founded in 1962 by Glen Bell (1923–2010) in Downey, California. Taco Bell is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. The restaurants serve a variety of Mexican-inspired ...

tacos A taco (, , ) is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a small hand-sized corn- or wheat-based tortilla topped with a filling. The tortilla is then folded around the filling and eaten by hand. A taco can be made with a variety of filli ...

: 53 soft beef tacos in ten minutes (

San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...

, on July 29, 2011) at the Taco Bell Why Pay More Soft Taco Challenge

2012

* Corned beef sandwich – 24 sandwiches in ten minutes (

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, Palm Beach County, Florida, United States, approximately 80 miles north of Miami. Palm Beach Gardens is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area. The population was 59,182 at the ...

, on March 17, 2012) at The 3rd Annual TooJay's World Class Corned Beef Eating Championship *

Tamales A tamale, in Spanish , is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of ''masa'', a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaves. The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate. Tam ...

: 102 tamales in 12 minutes (

Lewisville, Texas Lewisville ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Denton County with portions extending into Dallas County. As one of the Mid-Cities within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the 2020 census reported a population of 111,822. O ...

, on September 29, 2012) at the Western Days Festival World Tamale Eating Championship

2013

Apple pie An apple pie is a pie in which the principal filling is apples. Apple pie is often served with whipped cream, ice cream ("apple pie à la mode"), custard or cheddar cheese. It is generally double-crusted, with pastry both above and below the ...

: 4.375 pies in eight minutes (

Brunswick, Ohio Brunswick ( or ) is the largest city in Medina County, Ohio, United States. The population was 35,426 at the 2020 census. It is approximately southwest of Cleveland and part of the Cleveland metropolitan area. History Brunswick was founded ...

, September 13, 2013) at Mapleside Farms World Apple Pie Eating Championship *

Brain The brain is an organ (biology), organ that serves as the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals. It consists of nervous tissue and is typically located in the head (cephalization), usually near organs for ...

: 54 tacos in eight minutes (

Minneapolis, Minnesota Minneapolis is a city in Hennepin County, Minnesota, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 429,954 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the state's List of cities in Minnesota, most populous city. Locat ...

, October 12, 2013) at The World Brain Eating Competition – Zombie Pub Crawl * Hard boiled eggs: 141 hard-boiled eggs in eight minutes ( Radcliff, Kentucky, on October 5, 2013) at the Radcliff Fall Festival *

Pastrami Pastrami is a type of cured meat originating from Romania usually made from beef brisket. The raw meat is brined, partially dried, seasoned with herbs and spices, then smoked and steamed. Like corned beef, pastrami was created as a way to pres ...

: 25

Katz's Delicatessen Katz's Delicatessen, also known as Katz's of New York City, is a kosher-style delicatessen at 205 East Houston Street, on the southwest corner of Houston and Ludlow Streets on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City.

half pastrami sandwiches in ten minutes (

Manhattan, New York Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

, on June 2, 2013) at the Katz's Delicatessen World Pastrami Eating Championship *

Pork ribs Pork ribs are a cut of pork popular in Western and Asian cuisines. The ribcage of a domestic pig, meat and bones together, is cut into usable pieces, prepared by smoking, grilling, or baking – usually with a sauce, often barbecue – and then ...

: pork rib meat ( John Ascuaga's Nugget Casino in

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, on August 28, 2013) at John Ascuaga's Nugget World Rib Eating Championship during the

Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-off is an annual Ribs (food), rib cook-off in Sparks, Nevada, Sparks, Nevada. The competition involves St. Louis-style barbecue#Pork ribs, St. Louis-style pork Spare ribs, ribs. The event is held at Victorian Sq ...

Seen in episode of

Travel Channel Travel Channel (stylized as Trvl Channel since 2018) is an American pay television television channel, channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, who previously owned the channel from 1997 to 2007. The channel is headquartered in Manhattan, with ...

’s

Hotel Impossible ''Hotel Impossible'' was a reality television series from Travel Channel in which struggling non-chain hotels received an extensive makeover by veteran hotel operator and hospitality expert Anthony Melchiorri and his team. The show premiered on ...

Twinkies The Twinkie is an American snack cake, described on its packaging as "golden sponge cake with a creamy filling". It was formerly made and distributed by Interstate Bakeries, Hostess Brands. The brand is currently owned by Hostess Brands, Hostess ...

: 121 Twinkies in six minutes ( Bally's Casino Tunica in Tunica Resorts, Mississippi, on October 26, 2013) at The World Twinkie Eating Championship At Bally's Casino – Tunica

2014

* Deep-fried

: of deep-fried asparagus in ten minutes (

Stockton, California Stockton is a city in and the county seat of San Joaquin County, California, San Joaquin County in the Central Valley (California), Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. It is the most populous city in the county, the List of municipal ...

, April 26, 2014) at Stockton Asparagus Festival * Fish tacos: 30 tacos in five minutes (

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Manitoba. It is centred on the confluence of the Red River of the North, Red and Assiniboine River, Assiniboine rivers. , Winnipeg h ...

Manitoba Manitoba is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada at the Centre of Canada, longitudinal centre of the country. It is Canada's Population of Canada by province and territory, fifth-most populous province, with a population ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

on August 9, 2013) at Joey Chestnut vs. Joey's All-Stars Fish Taco World Record Challenge Presented by

Joey's Seafood Restaurants Joey's Seafood Restaurants (formerly Joey's Only) is a seafood restaurant chain in Canada. The chain was started in Calgary, Alberta, Canada in 1985 by Joe Klassen and Richard Maas. Franchising began in 1992 and has expanded to 39 franchise loc ...

Gyoza ''Jiaozi'' or Gyoza (; ) are a type of Chinese dumpling. ''Jiaozi'' typically consist of a ground meat or vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together. ''Jiaozi'' can be ...

: 384 gyoza in ten minutes (

, California, on August 16, 2014) at The Day-Lee Foods World Gyoza Eating Championship *

Pierogi Pierogi ( ; ) are filled dumplings made by wrapping Leavening, unleavened dough around a Stuffing, filling and cooked in boiling water. They are occasionally flavored with a savory or sweet garnish. Typical fillings include potato, cheese, ...

: 165 pierogi in eight minutes ( Horseshoe Casino Hammond in

Hammond, Indiana Hammond ( ) is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. Located along Lake Michigan, it is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the only city in Indiana to border Chicago. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the Li ...

, on October 8, 2014) at the Horseshoe World Pierogi-Eating Championship *

Pulled pork Pulled may refer to: * Pulled rickshaw, a mode of human-powered transport * Pulled wool, wool taken from a dead sheep * Pulled pork, an American dish * Pulled hamstring, a straining of the hamstring * Pulled elbow, an elbow injury * "Pulled", ...

sliders: 62 sliders in ten minutes ( Atmore, Alabama, on March 28, 2014) at the Pork Slider Eating Contest at Wind Creek's Throw Down * Turkey (whole): of whole turkey in ten minutes (

Foxwoods Resort Casino Foxwoods Resort Casino is an integrated resort owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation on their Indian reservation, reservation located in Ledyard, Connecticut. Including six casinos, the resort covers an area of . The casino ...

in Ledyard, Connecticut, on November 22, 2014) at the Foxwoods World Turkey-Eating Championship

2015

Gumbo Gumbo () is a stew that is popular among the U.S. Gulf Coast community, the New Orleans stew variation being the official state cuisine of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Gumbo consists primarily of a strongly flavored stock, meat or shellfis ...

: 15 bowls (1.875 gallons) in eight minutes (

Larose, Louisiana Larose is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 6,763 in 2020. It is part of the Houma– Bayou Cane– Thibodaux metropolitan statistical area. ...

, on November 7, 2015) at the World Record Gumbo Eating Championship

2016

Boysenberry The boysenberry is a cross between the European raspberry (''Rubus idaeus''), European blackberry ('' Rubus fruticosus''), American dewberry ('' Rubus aboriginum''), and loganberry (''Rubus'' × ''loganobaccus''). Description Boysenberrie ...

pie: of pie in eight minutes (

Knott's Berry Farm Knott's Berry Farm is a amusement park in Buena Park, California, United States, owned and operated by Six Flags. In March 2015, it was ranked as the List of amusement park rankings#North America, twelfth-most-visited theme park in North Ameri ...

in Buena Park, California, on March 19, 2016) at The Knott's Boysenberry Festival World Pie Eating Contest *

Burritos A burrito (, ) or burro in Mexico is, historically, a regional name, among others, for what is known as a taco, a tortilla filled with food, in other parts of the country. The term ''burrito'' was regional, specifically from Guanajuato, Guerr ...

– Long Form: 14.5 burritos in ten minutes ( Sports Authority Field at Mile High in

Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...

, Colorado, on May 28, 2016) at The

Denver Outlaws The Denver Outlaws are a professional field lacrosse team based in Denver, Colorado, that competes in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). Founded as the Chrome Lacrosse Club, they began play as one of the league's six inaugural teams in the ...

World Burrito Eating Championship Presented by Illegal Pete's *

Gyros Gyros, sometimes anglicized as a gyro (; , ), is meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, then sliced and served wrapped or stuffed in pita bread, along with other ingredients such as tomato, onion, fried potatoes, and tzatziki. In Greece, it is ...

: 30 gyros in ten minutes (

, Texas, on May 15, 2016) at Niko Niko's World Gyro Eating Championship *

Meat pies A meat pie is a pie baked with pastry with a filling of meat and often other savory ingredients. They are found in cuisines worldwide. Meat pies are usually baked, fried, or deep-fried to brown them and develop the flavour through the Mail ...

: 23 meat pies in ten minutes ( Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, on March 5, 2016) at The Silver Slipper World Meat Pie Eating Championship

2017

* Glazed doughnuts: 55 doughnuts in eight minutes (

Santa Monica, California Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...

, on June 2, 2017) at

The Salvation Army The Salvation Army (TSA) is a Protestantism, Protestant Christian church and an international charitable organisation headquartered in London, England. It is aligned with the Wesleyan-Holiness movement. The organisation reports a worldwide m ...

National Donut Day World Donut Eating Championship *

Tacos A taco (, , ) is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of a small hand-sized corn- or wheat-based tortilla topped with a filling. The tortilla is then folded around the filling and eaten by hand. A taco can be made with a variety of filli ...

– Traditional (three-inch tortilla): 126 tacos in eight minutes (

Prior Lake, Minnesota Prior Lake is an exurban city southwest of Minneapolis, next to Savage and Shakopee in Scott County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Surrounding the shores of Lower and Upper Prior Lake, the city is south of the Minnesota River in an area k ...

, on May 5, 2017) at the Mystic Lake Casino Hotel World Taco Eating Championship * White Hut

cheeseburger A cheeseburger is a hamburger with one or more slices of melted cheese on top of the meat patty, added near the end of the cooking time. Cheeseburgers can include variations in structure, ingredients and composition. As with other hamburgers, ...

s: 52 Cheeseburgers in ten minutes (

West Springfield, Massachusetts West Springfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 28,835 at the 2020 United States Census. The city is also known as "West ...

, on September 23, 2017) at The White Hut World Cheeseburg Eating Championship At The Big E

2018

* Hostess Donettes: 257 Hostess Donettes in 6 minutes (

, Pennsylvania, on June 1, 2018) at The World Hostess Donettes Eating Championship * Ice cream sandwiches: 25.5 sandwiches in six minutes ( Petco Park in

San Diego San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, California, on June 3, 2018) at The Baked Bear World Ice-Cream Sandwich Eating Championship *

Mutton Lamb and mutton, collectively sheep meat (or sheepmeat) is one of the most common meats around the world, taken from the domestic sheep, ''Ovis aries'', and generally divided into lamb, from sheep in their first year, hogget, from sheep in thei ...

sandwich: 81 mutton sandwiches in ten minutes ( International Bar-B-Q Festival in

Owensboro, Kentucky Owensboro is a Home rule in the United States, home rule-class city in Daviess County, Kentucky, United States, of which it is also the county seat. It is the List of cities in Kentucky, fourth-most populous city in the state. Owensboro is loca ...

, on May 12, 2018) at The Owensboro International Bar-B-Q Festival World Mutton Sandwich-Eating Championship *San Pedro Fish Market

shrimp A shrimp (: shrimp (American English, US) or shrimps (British English, UK)) is a crustacean with an elongated body and a primarily Aquatic locomotion, swimming mode of locomotion – typically Decapods belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchi ...

: of shrimp in eight minutes ( San Pedro, California, on May 28, 2018) at The San Pedro Fish Market World Famous Shrimp Eating Championship presented by The Kings of Fi$h on the USS ''Iowa'' * Shrimp cocktail: of St. Elmo shrimp cocktail in eight minutes (

Indianapolis Indianapolis ( ), colloquially known as Indy, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Indiana, most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana, Marion ...

, Indiana, on December 1, 2018) at The World Famous St. Elmo Shrimp Cocktail Eating Championship

2019

* Croquettes: 185 croquettes in ten minutes (

Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...

, Florida, on March 10, 2019) at El Croquetazo at Calle Ocho Music Festival presented by Catalina * Pepperoni rolls: 43 pepperoni rolls in ten minutes (

Fairmont, West Virginia Fairmont is a city in Marion County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. The population was 18,313 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in West Virginia, eighth-most populous city in ...

, on May 25, 2019) at The West Virginia Three Rivers Festival Pepperoni Roll Eating World Championship * Canteen sandwiches: 28.5 Canteen sandwiches in ten minutes (

Canteen Lunch in the Alley Canteen Lunch in the Alley is a restaurant located in Ottumwa, Iowa. The original five-stool Canteen Lunch was opened in 1927 in a different location, and moved to its current address in 1936. The “Canteen Lunch” was originally established in ...

in Ottumwa, Iowa, on June 1, 2019) at The 2019 World Championship Canteen Sandwich Eating Contest *

Pizza Pizza is an Italian cuisine, Italian, specifically Neapolitan cuisine, Neapolitan, dish typically consisting of a flat base of Leavening agent, leavened wheat-based dough topped with tomato, cheese, and other ingredients, baked at a high t ...

(2-foot slices): 6.5 slices in ten minutes (

Metairie, Louisiana Metairie ( ) is an Unincorporated area, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States, and is part of the New Orleans metropolitan area. With a population of 143,507 in 2020, Metairie is ...

, on August 25, 2019) at The 2019 Fat Boy's Pizza Eating Championship * Pork roll sandwiches (): 61.5 sandwiches in ten minutes (

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County. It was the federal capital, capital of the United States from November 1 until D ...

, on September 21, 2019) at River Fest Featuring the

Trenton Thunder The Trenton Thunder are a collegiate summer baseball team of the MLB Draft League. They are located in Trenton, New Jersey, and play their home games at Trenton Thunder Ballpark. From 1994 to 2020, it was a Minor League Baseball team of the D ...

World Famous Case's Pork Roll Eating Championship *

Carnitas Carnitas, literally meaning "little meats", in Mexican cuisine, is a dish made by braising, simmering and frying pork in its own fat, lard or cooking oil. The name "''Carnitas''" is, historically, the colloquial name given in Mexico for the Fren ...

: 82 tacos in eight minutes (

Pacific Park Pacific Park is an oceanfront amusement park located in Santa Monica, California. The park, located on the Santa Monica Pier, looks directly out on the Pacific Ocean, in the direction of Santa Catalina Island. It is the only amusement park di ...

, on October 4, 2019) at The 2019 Pacific Park World Taco Eating Championship *

: of poutine in ten minutes (

, Canada, on October 19, 2019) at the 10th Annual Smoke's Poutinerie World Poutine Eating Championship * Grilled cheese sandwich: 47 sandwiches in ten minutes (

Thomas & Mack Center The Thomas & Mack Center is a multi-purpose arena located on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Paradise, Nevada. It is home of the UNLV Runnin' Rebels basketball team of the Mountain West Conference. History The facility first ...

in Port Charlotte, Florida, on June 10, 2019) at the GoldenPalace.net World Grilled Cheese Eating Contest – World record currently held by Ali Waters (The Florida State Champion)

2020

Big Mac The Big Mac is a brand of hamburger sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's. It was introduced by a Greater Pittsburgh Region, Greater Pittsburgh area Franchising, franchisee in 1967 and expanded nationwide in 1968, and ...

s: 32 Big Macs in 38 minutes 15 seconds on March 5, 2020 *

Red Beans and Rice Red beans and rice is an emblematic dish of Louisiana Creole cuisine (not originally of Cajun cuisine) traditionally made on Mondays with small red beans, vegetables (bell pepper, onion, and celery), spices (thyme, cayenne pepper, and bay leaf) ...

: 39.5 bowls (24 lbs and 11 ounces or ~36,268 calories) in eight minutes in the city of New Orleans for the Blue Runner Red Beans and Rice Major League Eating Contest

2021

Hot dogs A hot dog is a grilled, steamed, or boiled sausage served in the slit of a partially sliced bun. The term ''hot dog'' can also refer to the sausage itself. The sausage used is a wiener ( Vienna sausage) or a frankfurter ( Frankfurter Würs ...

: 76 Nathan's hot dogs and buns (HDB) in 10 minutes (

, New York, on July 4, 2021) at the

2022

* Chicken Fingers: 44 Raising Cane's chicken fingers in 5 minutes (

Las Vegas Las Vegas, colloquially referred to as Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and the county seat of Clark County. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-l ...

, Nevada, on July 27, 2022) *

Popcorn Popcorn (also called popped corn, popcorns, or pop-corn) is a variety of corn kernel which expands and puffs up when heated. The term also refers to the snack food produced by the expansion. It is one of the oldest snacks, with evidence of p ...

(24 ounces): 32 servings in 8 minutes ( Victory Field in

, Indiana, on August 22, 2022) at an

Indianapolis Indians The Indianapolis Indians are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates. They are located in Indianapolis, Indiana, and play their home games at Victory ...

game

2024

: 83 hot dogs and buns (HDB) in 10 minutes at the "'' Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef''" event on September 2, 2024

References

External links

*
International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) profile

The Wave Magazine profile and interview

Photos from the TripRewards 2007 Ultimate Hotwing Eating ContestEat Feats Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chestnut, Joey 1983 births Living people American competitive eaters Participants in American reality television series San Jose State University alumni Sportspeople from San Jose, California Sportspeople from Vallejo, California

Eating career

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Training

Personal life

World records held

2007

2008

2009

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2024

See also

References

External links