Joey Chestnut has long been the face of competitive eating, with a career stacked full of records and unforgettable moments. He first turned heads in 2007 when he devoured 66 hot dogs in 12 minutes, ending Takeru Kobayashi’s six-year winning streak at the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest.
That victory kicked off a dominant run—eight consecutive titles, followed by another string of wins from 2016 to 2023. In 2021, he raised the bar even higher by setting the current record of 76 hot dogs and buns in just 10 minutes. With 16 Mustard Yellow Belts and 55 world records across different eating disciplines, Chestnut’s status in the sport is unmatched.
While his accomplishments on stage are well documented, his love life hasn’t always been in the spotlight. In the sections ahead, we take a closer look at Chestnut’s girlfriend and his love life over the years.
Who Is Joey Chestnut’s Girlfriend? Is Marriage Around the Corner?
Chestnut is currently engaged to a woman named Brie, who has quietly become one of the most steady and supportive presences in his life. Their relationship began in the most unexpected way—first with a brief photo together at a San Francisco bar in 2017, shortly after Chestnut had been eliminated from The Amazing Race.
At the time, it was just a fan moment. But a year later, fate stepped in. They matched on Tinder, and Brie reminded him of the night they’d met. He remembered, and they went on a date. As Joey described it, “It was perfect.”
The two have been together ever since. They eventually moved from California to Indiana, a place Chestnut had always liked from his frequent competitions in the area. What started as a strategic relocation for convenience soon turned into home.
Today, they live in a house with a garden and plenty of room for their dogs—and in the basement, Joey’s full-scale training setup: a Peloton bike, a weight bench, and of course, a competition-style table.
Brie has played a behind-the-scenes but meaningful role in his success. She helps him prep for training sessions, sometimes cooking dozens of hot dogs so he can simulate contest conditions. According to Chestnut, preparing 70 or 80 hot dogs at once isn’t exactly easy, and having her support has made a difference.
Though the two have kept their relationship mostly low-key, glimpses of Brie still appear on Chestnut’s Instagram. As of now, there’s been no public announcement of a wedding, but from all indications, they’re still together and engaged, quietly sharing a life behind the noise of the eating stage.
Joey Was Engaged Previously
Joey’s love life once made headlines in a very public way—right on the same stage where he built his competitive legacy. On July 4, 2014, just moments before the annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island, Chestnut paused before the competition and dropped to one knee. They started dating in 2011.
In front of thousands of spectators and a live TV audience, he proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Neslie Ricasa, who was also a competitive eater. The moment was unexpected, heartfelt, and perfectly timed to add to the spectacle of the day. Neslie said yes, and for a while, it seemed like the two San Jose natives were set to build a life together off the eating circuit.
Chestnut went on to win the contest that same day—his eighth straight title—by downing 61 hot dogs in 10 minutes, enough to beat runner-up Matt Stonie. While he fell short of his previous year’s record of 69, the proposal had already stolen the show.
However, the engagement didn’t last. The couple called it off sometime before their planned 2015 wedding. Joey later confirmed the split, saying that the breakup was difficult, especially given its timing just ahead of another hot dog contest.
That year, Chestnut would go on to lose the title to Matt Stonie—his only defeat in more than a decade of dominance. While he never directly blamed the loss on personal matters, the emotional toll was clear.
Since then, both Joey and Neslie have kept their relationship history largely private. The engagement remains one of the rare glimpses into his personal life—brief, public, and ultimately short-lived.
Who’s Joey’s Ex-Girlfriend, Neslie Ricasa?
Neslie Ricasa isn’t just known for being Chestnut’s former fiancée—she briefly made a name for herself in the world of competitive eating, too. While her run in the sport didn’t last nearly as long as Chestnut’s, she did compete in a few notable events.
At the 2013 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, she managed to eat 10 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. Her personal best, however, stands at 14 HDB in the same timeframe. That same year, she also took part in the Day-Lee Foods World Gyoza Eating Championship, where she downed 59 dumplings in 10 minutes.
Outside of the competitive arena, Neslie built a solid professional career. She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from San Jose State University—the same university Joey Chestnut attended. After graduation, she worked as an accounting assistant, first at EK Health Services in 2014, and later at Star Elevator in 2015. Eventually, she went on to become a financial analyst at Thomas Foods International.
Despite her brief time in the spotlight, Neslie has since stepped away from competitive eating and maintained a relatively low public profile following her split from Chestnut. While their relationship ended before they made it down the aisle, her appearances during his rise helped shape one of the more memorable off-stage chapters in Joey’s career.
