Joey Chestnut is one of the most famous -- or infamous -- competitive eaters in the world. While he competes in all manner of competitions, July 4's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest is his Groundhog Day. It's the day competitive eating takes center stage, and Chestnut never disappoints.
Chestnut first dove into the world of competitive eating in 2005 while he was a student at San Jose State University. His first major victory came that year when he ate six-and-a-half pounds of fried asparagus in 11 1/2 minutes. That year, Chestnut qualified for his first Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest and ate 32 hot dogs.
By 2011, Chestnut had become such a force on the eating circuit that he was able to quit his full-time job in construction managementand focused solely on training for eating competitions. That year, he won his fifth straight Mustard Belt, awarded to the winner of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Since then, Chestnut has cemented his status as the best competitive eater of all time. He has his record up to 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes, set in 2021 after eating 75 in 2020. Can Chestnut one-up himself again in 2022?
MORE:What happens inside an eater's body after the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest?
Joey Chestnut net worth: How much does he make?
The life of a competitive eater may not be glamorous, but it can pay pretty well.
Chestnut told USA Today that his net worth is $4 million after he made $500,000 in 2022 alone. The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, an event Chestnut has won 14 times, pays its winners $10,000 every year.
$500,000 in a single year doesn't just come from winnings, of course. Chestnut's popularity has also earned him lucrative sponsorship deals.
Joey Chestnut career earnings
Specific sponsorship details are hard to come by, but in 2014 alone, Chestnut reportedly made $230,000. By 2022, he said he made $500,000 in a year. Chestnut's 15 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest victories have resulted in a combined $150,000 worth of winnings (before taxes, of course).
Chestnut won both the hot dog competition and a worldwide pumpkin pie eating contest in Jacksonville in 2021. He ate 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes for the former and 16 pounds, 12 ounces of pumpkin pie in 11 1/2 minutes for the latter. Chestnut won the Hot Dog Eating Contest again in 2022, but with 63 hot dogs eaten.
Joey Chestnut endorsem*nts
Joey Chestnut has several endorsem*nts from a variety of companies, with most of course being food companies. Chestnut has made social media posts endorsing Hooters, Hostess, Coney Island IPA and even Pepto Bismol.
Joey Chestnut business ventures
Chestnut launched his first company that features a line of condiments in 2018. Joey Chestnut Eatsincludes Chestnut’s Firecracker Mustard, Boardwalk Coney Sauce and Deli-Style Mustard with prices ranging from $7.50 to $8.
Joey Chestnut social media influence
Chestnut doesn't use social media all that frequently, but does use it sporadically to promote appearances at restaurants or certain food products. His Twitteraccount has 43.1K followers, and his Instagramprofile has 76.2K followers.
How many hot dogs did Joey Chestnut eat in 2022?
Chestnut ate 63 hot dogs in 2022, well short of his record 76 but still enough to easily clear the rest of the field. There were a few good reasons for the drop off, including an injury that left Chestnut on crutches and a protestor that he put in a chokehold during the competition.
Chestnut broke his own record for most hot dogs eaten in 10 minutes at the 2021 Nathan's contest, housing 76 in total. The previous record was 75, set by Chestnut in 2020's iteration of the competition.
As a competitive eating enthusiast and someone well-versed in the world of competitive eating, I've closely followed the career of Joey Chestnut, a dominant figure in this field. Chestnut's journey began in 2005 at San Jose State University, where he ventured into competitive eating by consuming six-and-a-half pounds of fried asparagus in just 11 1/2 minutes. This victory marked the start of a remarkable career.
His breakthrough came with his inaugural participation in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, where he consumed 32 hot dogs. Over the years, Chestnut's dedication and prowess in competitive eating led to significant victories, allowing him to leave his full-time job in construction management to focus entirely on training for eating competitions by 2011.
Chestnut's achievements are staggering. He secured his fifth consecutive Mustard Belt in 2011 and continued to dominate, setting records like devouring 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes during the 2021 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, surpassing his own previous record of 75 in 2020.
His success isn't just confined to competitive wins; it's financially lucrative too. Chestnut's net worth, as per his own disclosure to USA Today, reached $4 million, with his earnings soaring to $500,000 in 2022 alone. These earnings don't solely come from contest winnings; Chestnut's popularity has attracted substantial sponsorship deals.
His endorsem*nt deals with various food companies like Hooters, Hostess, and Pepto Bismol, alongside his entrepreneurial venture, "Joey Chestnut Eats," featuring a line of condiments, have contributed significantly to his financial success.
Additionally, Chestnut's social media presence, though not extensive, includes a Twitter account with 43.1K followers and an Instagram profile with 76.2K followers, which he occasionally uses to promote appearances and food products.
In 2022, Joey Chestnut ate 63 hot dogs during the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, slightly lower than his record but still enough to secure a win. This performance was impacted by an injury that left him on crutches and a notable incident involving a protestor during the competition.
Joey Chestnut's dominance in competitive eating, his financial success through endorsem*nts and entrepreneurial ventures, and his consistent performance in competitions like the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest solidify his position as a legendary figure in the world of competitive eating.
