Joey Chestnut Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Joey Chestnut’s Net Worth and Career Earnings?

With a net worth of $3 million, Joey Chestnut stands out as an American competitive eater recognized as one of the most successful in history. His rise to fame began in 2007 when he secured his first victory at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. On July 4, 2023, he marked his 16th win in this competition. At different times, the Major League of Eating has ranked him as the top eater globally.

Chestnut’s path to becoming a legend in competitive eating kicked off in 2005, debuting at Nathan’s contest where he ate 32 hot dogs. He swiftly made his way to the top, unseating Takeru Kobayashi, the former champion, in 2007. Since that victory, Chestnut has maintained an exceptional presence in competitive eating.

Beyond his triumphs at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, Chestnut has shattered multiple records across various food categories, such as consuming 182 chicken wings in half an hour, 141 hard-boiled eggs within 8 minutes, and 53 soft beef tacos in 10 minutes. His peak performance occurred in 2021 when he devoured 76 hot dogs and buns in merely 10 minutes, setting a new world record. His extraordinary capacity for rapid food consumption has earned him the moniker “Jaws,” making him a familiar name in the competitive eating landscape.

Annual Earnings

The winner of Nathan’s contest receives a top prize of $10,000, a modest sum, but it provides significant visibility for these athletes throughout the year. A leading competitive eater may easily rake in between $250,000 and $500,000 annually through sponsorships and prize money. Takeru Kobayashi, Joey’s long-time competitor, has not participated in Nathan’s contest in recent years due to a contract dispute with the Major League of Eating organization.

Additionally, Joey has launched a line of condiments that bears his name, featuring mustard, dipping sauce, coney sauce, hot sauce, and more.

Impossible Foods Endorsement

In June 2024, news broke that Joey had secured a 4-year endorsement deal worth $1.2 million with the vegan food brand Impossible Foods. This agreement, translating to an average annual payment of $400,000, slightly restricts Joey from participating in Nathan’s annual Fourth of July contest. Contrary to some reports, he was not outright BANNED from this contest following the announcement.

Netflix Kobayashi Showdown

The day after announcing his deal with Impossible Foods, it was disclosed that Joey would be featured in a live showdown against Kobayashi on Netflix. This live event, titled “Chestnut Vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef,” is scheduled to air on September 2, 2024.

Early Life

Born on November 25, 1983, in Fulton County, Kentucky, Joey Chestnut later attended San Jose State University following high school. It was here, starting in 2005, that he began entering eating competitions. Although he didn’t graduate until 2012, his academic journey was often interrupted by his travel for food contests.

One

One of Joey’s significant early events was an asparagus-eating contest, where he secured first place by outpacing high-ranked eater Rich LeFevre, consuming nearly six and a half pounds of deep-fried asparagus in just 11.5 minutes.

Turning Professional

His first entry into the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest took place in 2005, marking the beginning of many such contests to come. Joey finished in third place after devouring 32 hot dogs, with Sonya Thomas taking second by eating 37 and Takeru Kobayashi winning with 49. That same year, he achieved a new world record by eating 32.5 grilled cheese sandwiches within ten minutes, winning the GoldenPalace World Grilled Cheese Eating Championship.

Continuing his rise to stardom, Chestnut triumphed over Sonya Thomas in the Waffle House World Waffle Eating Championship and secured a second-place finish in the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship, both also occurring in 2005.

At the 2006 Nathan’s event, Kobayashi achieved a world record with 53 and 3/4ths hot dogs eaten. Joey came in second, setting the US record with 52 hot dogs consumed.

The following year, Chestnut clinched victory at Wing Bowl XV in Philadelphia, where he ate an impressive 182 chicken wings in 30 minutes. He also attained his first win at the annual Nathan’s Contest, defeating the six-time defending champion, Kobayashi, by eating 66 hot dogs compared to Kobayashi’s 63. To cap off 2007, Joey won the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship by consuming 103 Krystal burgers in under eight minutes.

From 2007 to 2015, Joey won eight consecutive Nathan’s Contests.

In 2020 and 2021, he achieved new records by eating 75 and then 76 hot dogs in just 10 minutes. In 2022, despite being interrupted by a protestor whom he placed in a chokehold, he won his 15th Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest title, consuming 63 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

While Matt Stonie won the contest in 2015, Joey redeemed himself in 2016, reclaiming the title by eating 70 hot dogs and setting a new record. He continued his winning streak from 2016 through 2020.

Joey’s personal best in a single competition stands at 76 hot dogs.

During 2008, Chestnut established two new world records. In February, he set a record at the Wing Bowl by eating 241 wings in 30 minutes. Additionally, he consumed 78 matzo balls at the Kenny & Ziggy’s World Matzoh Ball Eating Championship in Houston. In March, he achieved a male record at The Big Texan Steak Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, finishing a 4.5-pound ribeye steak, salad, baked potato, shrimp cocktail, and roll in under nine minutes. He also won the Nathan’s Contest in a tie-breaker against Kobayashi. However, a few weeks later, he lost to Kobayashi in a chicken satay eating contest, where Joey ate nearly nine pounds of chicken compared to Kobayashi’s twelve.

In 2009, Chestnut set another world record, consuming 10.5 pounds of macaroni and cheese in seven minutes. He also secured victory at the Nathan’s Contest, surpassing his previous record with 68 hot dogs eaten – nine more than in the year prior. Nevertheless, Kobayashi bested him at the Krystal Hamburger Championship and he made an appearance on “Man v. Food,” where he finished a giant five-pound burrito in just over three minutes.

Chestnut emerged victorious in the Shrimp Wontons eating competition in Singapore in 2010. He also won the Nathan’s Contest for the fourth consecutive year, although he didn’t break his prior record. The same year, he claimed the title at the Pepto Bismol Bratwurst Eating Championship by eating 42 brats in 12 minutes and at the Upper Crust Pizza Eating competition, devouring 37 slices in 10 minutes. In 2011, he once again won the Nathan’s Contest, although Kobayashi set a new record by consuming 69 hot dogs at an off-site event judged by independents. That year, he did not participate in the Nathan’s Contest as he declined to sign the necessary contract.

In 2012, Chestnut achieved a new record at the Toojay’s Corned Beef Eating Competition in Palm Beach Gardens, eating 20 corned beef sandwiches in ten minutes. He also defended his title.

Once again at the Nathan’s Contest, Chestnut matched his personal best by consuming 68 hotdogs. That same year, he made an appearance on “Hell’s Kitchen,” where he took part in a wing-eating competition alongside several contestants. In the following year, he surpassed his own record at Nathan’s Contest, eating 69 hotdogs. Additionally, he triumphed at the Hooters World Wing-Eating Championship and the Hillshire Farm Bratwurst Eating World Championship.

In 2018, Chestnut participated in “The Amazing Race 30” with fellow competitive eater Tim Janus.

Joey Chestnut is prepared to compete in the 2023 Jack’s Donuts World Donut Hole Eating Championship.

Training

According to Chestnut, his training routine for competitions involves fasting and stomach stretching with milk, water, and protein supplements. For hot dog competitions specifically, he practices by consuming 40 hot dogs in a single sitting, gradually increasing the amount each day to achieve competition-winning totals.

Other Accolades and Records

Joey treats competitive eating as a full-time pursuit, training consistently throughout the year by fasting and using protein supplements, water, and milk to stretch his stomach. His weight varies during the year, landing between 210 and 225 pounds.

He has set 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 consumed 70 hot dogs; the next year, he increased that number to 72, followed by a world-record 74 the subsequent year. At the 2019 Nathan’s contest, he claimed his 12th title with 71 hot dogs consumed. In 2021, Chestnut set a new world record by eating 76 hot dogs. In April 2023, coinciding with National Burrito Day, he became the champion of the first-ever Qdoba World Burrito Eating Championship in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, finishing 14.5 burritos in 10 minutes.

Personal Life

Right before defending his title at the Nathan’s competition in 2014, Chestnut proposed to his long-term girlfriend, Neslie Ricasa. However, the couple ended their relationship a year later, in early 2015, prior to their planned wedding date. Chestnut resides in Westfield, Indiana.