Champion Joey Chestnut Shares Plans For 2026 Nathan’s Food Challenge
Joey Chestnut, the 42‑year‑old competitive eater from Vallejo, California, secured another major title on Thursday by winning the world burrito eating championship in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The victory added a new trophy to a career that already includes more than 50 sanctioned records from Major League Eating.
Chestnut began his competitive eating career while attending San Jose State University, where he studied civil engineering. His first contest, a lobster eating event at a Reno casino, earned him third place and sparked a lifelong passion. He quickly moved on to winning the Stockton Asparagus Festival contest after consuming 6.3 pounds of deep‑fried asparagus, a feat he later surpassed by eating over 12 pounds in a record attempt.
Known as “Jaws,” Chestnut has claimed 17 of the 20 Nathan’s Famous Hot‑Dog Eating Contest titles and has eaten 1,289 hot dogs across those events. He currently holds the 2021 record of 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes and is aiming for an 18th consecutive victory on July 4. In preparation, he follows a low‑carb, high‑protein diet and limits carbohydrate intake during the week, using clean eating to maintain performance.
Chestnut’s latest Milwaukee win demonstrates his continued dominance in competitive eating, underscoring the breadth of his career beyond hot‑dogs to include burritos and other specialty contests.