Joey Chestnut Worlds Greatest Eater
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Joey Chestnut

Joey Chestnut is the world’s greatest eater. This is not an opinion but a statement of fact. He holds more competitive eating records than any other athlete in history, by a wide margin. However, despite his total domination, Joey didn’t find competitive eating… it found him.

Born on November 25th, 1983 in Vallejo, California he earned a degree in engineering and construction management from San Jose State University. He initially developed his talent for devouring large amounts of food when traveling home to visit family during college. Joey was living the typical college life; money was tight. Therefore, an extra helping of food was always appreciated. And besides, nobody cooks like mom. His brother was the first to recognize Joey’s potential. He signed Joey up for his very first contest with low resistance. In Joey’s words, “A free hotel stay at a casino and all the lobster I can eat? Sure, I’ll give it shot.”

Joey Chestnut Eating Contest

Even in his first contest, the 21-year-old began to transform on stage from quiet and reserved into the legendary eater we know today. Although he saw competitive eating as a strange concept: eat as fast as you can on stage with people screaming at you, he and his family accepted the bizarre sport and never looked back.

What is more American than a hot dog eating contest on the 4th of July? Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is an annual event that takes place on Coney Island, New York. It’s a speed eating contest to see who can devour the most Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs in 10 minutes. Prior to 2007, it had been largely dominated by Japanese contestants. Joey claimed his first title in 2007 when he ended the reign of 6-time champion Takeru Koyayashi. Following his first victory, Joey went on to become the most decorated champion of all time winning the next 11 out of the 12 years.

WORLD EATING RECORDS

Apple Pie: 4.375 Three-Pound Apple Pies/Mapleside Farms / 8 Minutes/Sept. 13, 2013

Asparagus: 12 lbs 8.75 oz Deep Fried Asparagus Spears/ Stockton Asparagus Festival / 10 minutes/ Apr. 26, 2014

Boysenberry Pie: 14.5lb of pie / Knotts Berry Farm / 8 minutes / March 19, 2016

Brain Tacos: 54 Brain Tacos / Zombie Pub Crawl / 8 Minutes/Oct. 12, 2013

Burritos, Long Form: 14.5 lbs burritos / Illegal Pete's Burritos / 10 Minutes / May 28, 2016

Chicken Wings, 12 minutes: 7.61 lbs Buffalo Chicken Wings / 12 minutes/ September 2, 2012

Chicken Wings, Long form: 182 chicken wings / 30 minutes

Corned Beef Sandwiches: 20 8-oz sandwiches/TooJay's World Class Corned Beef Eating Championship / 10 minutes/March 17, 2012

Donuts, Glazed: 55 Glazed Donuts / Salvation Army National Donut Day / 8 Minutes / June 2, 2017

Eggs: 141 Hard Boiled Eggs / 8 Minutes/Oct. 5, 2013

Fish Tacos: 30 6oz. Joeys Seafood Restaurants Fish Tacos / 5 Minutes/August 7, 2014

Funnel Cake: 5.9 lbs / Kings Dominion / 10 minutes / May 23, 2009

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches: 47 grilled cheese sandwiches / 10 Minutes/ June 10, 2006

Gumbo: 15 16oz bowls (1.875 gallons) / World Record Gumbo / 8 Minutes / November 7, 2015

Gyoza: 384 Day-Lee Foods gyoza/Los Angeles Nisei Week / 10 minutes/August 16, 2014

Gyros: 30 8-oz Gyros/Niko Niko's Gyros / 10 Minutes/May 15, 2016

Hamburgers: Krystals: 103 Krystal Burgers / 8 minutes/October 28, 2007

Horseshoe Sandwiches: 6 lbs, 5 oz horseshoe sandwiches / 12 minutes

Hot Dogs: 74 Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs And Buns / 10 minutes/ July 4th, 2018

Ice-Cream Sandwiches: 25.25 Baked Bear Ice-Cream Sandwiches / San Diego, CA / 6 Minutes / June 4, 2017

Jalapeno Poppers: 118 Jalapeno Poppers/University of Arizona / 10 minutes/April 8, 2006

Kolache Factory Kolaches: 56 Sausage and Cheese Kolaches/Kolache Factory in Houston, TX / 8 Minutes/Sept. 14, 2007

Meat Pies: 23 6oz Meat Pies / Silver Slipper World Meat Pie Eating Championship / 10 minutes / March 5, 2016

Mutton Sandwiches: 55 4oz Sandwiches / Owensboro International Bar-B-Q Festival / 10 minutes / May 13, 2017

Pastrami: 25 7oz half Katz's Delicatessen Pastrami Sandwiches / 10 minutes/June 2, 2013

Philly CheeseSteaks: 23 6" sandwiches / Dorney Park / 10 minutes / May 14, 2011

Pierogi: 165 Pierogi/Horseshoe Casino / 8 minutes/October 8, 2014

Pizza Hut P'Zones: 7.5 Pizza Hut P'Zones/Pizza Hut Chow-Lenge @ Spike Guys Choice Awards / 10 minutes/June 4, 2011

Pork Ribs: 13.76 pounds pork rib meat/ John Ascuaga's Nugget / 12 minutes/August 28, 2013

Pork Roll Sandwiches, 4oz: 43 4oz Pork Roll Sandwiches / Trenton Thunder / 10 Minutes / September 24, 2016

Pork, Pulled: 9 Pounds, 6 Ounces Smoked, Pulled Pork/ Horseshoe Casino Council Bluffs / 10 Minutes/ Sept. 16, 2006

Pork, Pulled Sandwiches: 45 pulled pork sandwiches / 10 minutes/ Sept. 1, 2007

Pork, Pulled Sliders: 62 pulled pork sliders / 10 Minutes/March 28, 2014

Poutine: 25.5 lb / Smoke's Poutinerie Poutine / 10 minutes / Oct. 1, 2016

Salt Potatoes: 13 lbs Salt Potatoes / Wild Carp Week / 10 minutes / May 14, 2011

Shrimp Cocktail: 15lb St. Elmo Shrimp Cocktail/Indianapolis, IN / 8 minutes / December 3, 2016

Shrimp Wontons: 390 shrimp wontons/CP Biggest Eater Competition 2011-12 / 8 Minutes / February 11, 2012

Tacos, Taco Bell: 53 soft beef tacos/Taco Bell / 10 minutes / July 29, 2011

Tacos, Traditional (Three-Inch Tortilla): 126 Tacos / Mystic Lake Casino Hotel / 8 minutes / May 5, 2017

Tamales: 102 Tamales/Lewisville Western Days/Dat's Good Barbecue tamales / 12 Minutes/Sept. 29, 2012

Turkey (Whole): 9.35 lbs whole turkey / Foxwoods Turkey Eating Championship / 10 minutes / November 22, 2014

Twinkies: 121 Twinkies/Bally's Casino-Tunica / 6 Minutes / Oct. 26, 2013

White Hut Cheeseburgs: 52 Cheeseburgs / The Big E Fair / 10 minutes / September 23, 2017