Do you eat to live or live to eat? While we are stuck in this philosophical turmoil, some people are getting paid to devour food. Joey Chestnut is making moolah for every bite he takes, and it’s nothing short of epic.
Joey first discovered his talent while studying at San Jose State University. He entered a competitive eating contest in 2005, unbeknownst to him that this was about to change the course of his life. As a young guy, he broke out in the competitive eating scene and completely annihilated 6.3 pounds of asparagus in 11.5 minutes, beating the high-ranker Rich LeFevre.
And just like that, he went from being a civil engineering student to being qualified for Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest the same year, where he ate 32 Hot dogs and was placed third. He graduated with a degree in engineering and construction management, but his future held a completely different vision.
What Is Joey Chestnut’s Real Job?
Chestnut is the prime example of “passion meets profession.”
The professional eater is simply untouchable the moment you keep food in front of him. He was once placed third as a rookie and is now dominating the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. He won the last year’s contest, defeating the second-place winner, Geoffrey Espel, by 20 hot dogs. The audience gasped and cheered as he gulped down 63 hot dogs in under 10 mins.
His personal best feat was a record-breaking 76 hot dogs in 10 mins.
So, to answer the obvious question– Joey Chestnut’s real job is earning from being a professional competitive eater. He left his job at a construction management company in Northern California to become a full-time paid professional eater in 2010.
Last year marked his 7th consecutive win, reigning his winning spree since 2016. No wonder he is earning big bucks from these competitions. He told the USA Today Sports–
“My mom was worried!”
“I mean, it’s nice to have a job. You’ve got health care and retirement, all that stuff. So I had to convince my mom that I still had a plan for all that stuff.”
How Do Competitive Eaters Make Money?
These organized eating competitions attract a bunch of foodies who either love to eat or enjoy the voyeuristic pleasures of food. A legion of food enthusiasts assemble at these competitions to root for their favorite eater— you can consider it a sport! Subsequently, these events also attract a lot of sponsors.
Overall a pool is made at every contest for the winners. Here is a basic breakdown of one competition with a total pool of $40000.
- First place: $10,000
- Second place: $5,000
- Third place: $2,500
- Fourth place: $1,500
- Fifth place: $1,000
Plus, a few winners also get brand sponsorship, while some are invited to corporate events for simply eating in bulk. One can expect a decent side hustle from these competitions.
But Joey made his whole profession from this. Let us explore his earnings–
How Much Does Joey Chestnut Make?
Joey Chestnut revealed to USA Today Sports that his total earnings last year were around $500,000. His net worth to date is estimated to be $ 4 million.
Chestnut said in an interview that he enters at least 150 competitions annually. Say, if an average pool is around $8000, winning all the competitions is the only way to churn money. And that is exactly what Chestnut does.
He even registered his own company– Joey Chestnut LLC and his managers at Everest Talent Management take care of organizing his schedule for these competitions. See it as a tour of a famous musician.
But how is he making six figures with just professional eating?
Joey has amassed a massive following over the years, garnering him worthy endorsement deals such as DUDE Wipes, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Wonderful Pistachios, and Pepsi. His claim to fame began with the Pepto-Bismol brand deal that allowed him to challenge the locals to a healthy competition of unhealthy eating— the point being Pepto Bismol will take care of your guts. Nathan Fox, Pepto-Bismol Brand Manager, said–
“Americans love to celebrate summer by getting together and enjoying food with friends, but sometimes the enjoyment of summer leads to eating just one too many.”
“With the help of Joey and his love of food, we are reminding consumers to think of Pepto-Bismol* as they head out to their local summer festival.”
Who Is the Best Competitive Eater in the World?
Currently, Joey Chestnut ranks #1 in the world as the Best Competitive Eater.
Here’s an exhibit of his impeccable personal records–
- Hard-boiled eggs: 141 in 8 minutes
- Glazed donuts: 55 in 8 minutes
- Pulled pork sandwiches: 45 in 10 minutes
- Taco Bell softshell beef tacos: 53 in 10 minutes
- Krystal’s hamburgers: 103 in 8 minutes
- Twinkies: 121 in 6 minutes
- Chicken wings: 413 in 12 hours
- Big Mac sandwiches: 32 in 38 minutes
- Tamales: 102 in 12 minutes
- Grilled cheese sandwiches: 47 in 10 minutes
- Ice cream sandwiches: 25.5 in 6 minutes
- Pepperoni rolls: 43 in 10 minutes.
Naturally, fans are excited to see him in action in the upcoming Fourth of July event of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. Twitter is buzzing with Joey memes to commemorate his record-breaking wins.
What do you think of this unique talent? Can this be a long-term plan for Joey, or will his winning streak end someday? How many hot dogs can you eat in one go?
Let us know in the comments below.
