Joey Chestnut Biography

Joseph Christian Chestnut, born on November 25, 1983, is an American competitive eater who holds 55 world records across 55 disciplines and is ranked first in the world by Major League Eating. Chestnut has won the Mustard Yellow Belt a world record 18 times. On July 4, 2007, he won the 92nd Annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest held in Coney Island, Brooklyn. He defeated six-time defending champion Takeru Kobayashi by consuming 66 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes, after losing to him in 2005 and 2006. Chestnut won eight consecutive titles from 2007 to 2014, setting a Nathan's record of 69 hot dogs and buns in 2013. He won the title from 2016 to 2023, setting the current contest record in 2021 with 76 hot dogs and buns. Chestnut, a San Jose State University student, entered the competitive eating scene in 2005 with a breakout performance in the deep-fried asparagus eating championship, where he beat Rich LeFevre by eating 6.3 pounds of asparagus in 11.5 minutes.