Joey Chestnut

Joseph Christian Chestnut (born November 25, 1983) is an American competitive eater.

As of 2022, he is ranked first in the world by Major League Eating.

Chestnut defeated six-time defending champion Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi by consuming a world record 66 hot dogs and buns (HDB) in 12 minutes, after losing to Kobayashi in 2005 and 2006.

The following year, he successfully defended his title by winning a five hot dog eat-off after tying Kobayashi in consuming 59 HDB in ten minutes.

Chestnut, a San Jose State University student, entered the competitive eating scene in 2005 with a break-out performance in the deep-fried asparagus eating championship, in which he beat high-ranked eater Rich LeFevre by eating 6.3 lb 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 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.

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 Takeru Kobayashi through most of the contest, the final tally put Chestnut at 52 and Kobayashi at 53 3⁄4 (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.

On July 4, 2007, Chestnut won the 92nd Annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest held at New York City.

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

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

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

Chestnut set two new world records in 2008.

On July 4, 2009, Chestnut beat Kobayashi again, by consuming a world record 68 HDB and winning his third consecutive title.

On July 4, 2010, Chestnut took home his 4th consecutive Mustard Belt eating 54 HDB.

The 2010 contest was a runaway victory, as Kobayashi did not compete due to a contract dispute with Major League Eating.

On July 4, 2011, he won his fifth-consecutive championship with 62 HDB.

2012 marked his sixth consecutive win, when Chestnut tied his own world record from 2009 by eating 68 HDB.

In 2013, Chestnut captured his seventh straight title, eating a total of 69 HDB, breaking his previous world record.

In 2014, Chestnut captured his eighth straight title eating a total of 61 HDB.

Chestnut lost the 2015 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest to Matt Stonie.

On July 4, 2016, Chestnut regained the championship belt from Stonie by eating 70 hot dogs, 3.5 hot dogs short of his record-setting qualifying round.

A year later on July 4, 2017, he raised the bar again by raising his record to 72 hot dogs; and again the following year to a world record of 74.

In 2019, he secured a twelfth title with 71 HDB, but failed to beat his previous record.

In 2020, he consumed 75 HDB, a world record for the contest.

In 2021, he consumed 76 HDB, breaking his own world record for the contest.

In 2022, in a return to the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues, he consumed 63 Nathan's Famous HDB, his 15th championship, despite a ruptured tendon in his leg.

On July 4, 2023, he captured his 16th title by eating 62 HDB.