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Joey Chestnut, the Man behind Nathan's Hot Dogs

by amyjudd | July 4, 2009 at 09:14 am

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Joey Chestnut has won his fourth consecutive victory at the world famous Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Competition 2009, beating other favorite Takeru Kobayashi for another year. Chestnut ate 68 hot dogs in 10 minutes, which is a personal best.

But who is the man behind the competitive eating?

Joey Chestnut, born November 25, 2983 currently lives in San Jose, California and first won Nathan's Hot Dog Competition in 2007 when he set a new world record of eating 66 hot dogs and buns in 12 minutes.

He ate his first hot dog when he was five years old[citation needed]. He was on vacation at his Aunt's house in Point Pleasant, New Jersey on the fourth of July. The San José State University student entered the competitive eating scene in 2005 with a break-out performance in the deep-fried asparagus eating championship, in which he beat high-ranked eater Rich LeFevre by eating 6.3 pounds of asparagus in 11.5 minutes. That same year, during Nathan's Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest, Chestnut downed 32 dogs, placing third behind Takeru Kobayashi and Sonya Thomas.

In 2006, it looked to be Chestnut's year, when he ate 50 hot dogs in the qualifying round. However, Kobayashi won again and set a new world record in the process.

2007 started off well for Chestnut though, when he won the Wing Bowl XV, but eating 182 chicken wings in 30 minutes, for which he still holds the record along with the gallon of milk challenge title, by drinking a gallon of milk in 41 seconds.

On July 4, 2007, Joey Chestnut was finally victorious in beating Kobayashi by eating 66 hot dogs in Coney Island, and he has not let go of that title since.

Starting off 2008 very well, Chestnut has already set two new world records. He devoured 241 wings in 30 minutes at the Wing Bowl XVI in Philadelphia on February 1, and he ate 78 matzo balls during Kenny & Ziggy's World Matzoh Ball Eating Championship in Houston, Texas on March 2.

He then had to battle Kobayashi for the Hot Dog Title on July 4, in a five-dog eat-off, which is still won but it was a very close race.

Chestnut says he trains by fasting and then stretching his stomach out with milk, water and protein supplements. His weight always varies between 210 lbs and 225 lbs.

When Chestnut became involved in competitive eating, he was studying nutrition in college and asked his professor how to train for events.

Just two and a half days before any event, Chestnut says he stops eating solid foods and in the morning of any competition he has some coffee, an anti-inflammatory and som water. He also runs a lot as it builds stamina and helps control breathing.

He is currently studying civil engineering in school and is working in construction management.

Joey Chestnut's World Records

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billmo

at 11:41 on July 4th, 2009

February 21, 2009 Joey Chestnut set a world record by downing 10.5 pounds of macaroni and cheese during halftime at a San Jose Stealth indoor lacrosse game at HP Pavilion in San Jose, CA.

billmo has contributed a photo to this story.