Who is Geoffery Esper? Everything to Know About the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest Contender

Everything you need to know about one of the top contestants in this year's Hot Dog Eating Contest.

Geoffrey Esper raises his ribbon and trophy after taking the title at the 2021 World Slopper Eating Championship during the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo on Saturday September 4, 2021. Slopper Contest Geoff Esper Trophy / Chieftain Photo/Zachary Allen via Imagn

Joey Chestnut's absence from the 2024 Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest is likely disappointing to many viewers— but it also presents an opportunity. A chance for a newer face to rise to the top and claim his throne. A new eater for the world to marvel at as they scarf down an inhumane quantity of hot dogs and buns on the Fourth of July.

Geoffery Esper, the No. 2 ranked eater in the world according to Major League Eating's rankings, is one such potential face. The Massachusetts native came in second to Chestnut in each of the last three Hot Dog Eating Contests and is in a great spot to supplant the all-time great in the 2024 competition.

Here's everything to know about Esper.

Who is Geoffery Esper?

Esper is a 49-year-old competitive eater, hailing from Oxford, MA. He teaches at Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School in Charlton, MA as his day job. Esper holds a master's degree in physics.

In an interview, Esper said he got into competitive eating by participating in various local "man vs. food" challenges at restaurants. Eventually he got into larger competitions, winning the 2017 and 2019 Hooters Wing Eating contests. He also won the 2023 Jack's Donuts World Donut Hole Eating Competition, putting down 344 donut holes in eight minutes, setting a new record.

Esper first entered the Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2021. That year, he wolfed down 50 dogs, second to Chestnut's 76. In 2022 Esper returned to Coney Island and ate 47 hot dogs. In 2023, Esper put down 49.

What records does he hold?

As mentioned above, Esper holds the record for most donut holes eaten at Jack's Donuts World Donut Hole Eating Contest, held annually in New Castle, Indiana. But that's not the only record he holds.

In fact, according to the MLE website, Esper holds 18 different eating records (and finished first in the DraftKings Big Game Snackdown Menu). Highlights include the world record for strawberry shortcake consumption, eating 21 pounds of the dessert in eight minutes in June of 2023, and most nine-inch pizzas eaten during a competition. He set the latter at the Vaughan Pizza Festival (where Chestnut came in second, incidentally). He ate 19.25 pizzas in 10 minutes.

Here's all the records Esper holds.

FOOD	RECORD	LOCATION	DATE
Spam	9.75 pounds in eight minutes	Circuit of the Americas	October 23, 2021
Chicken Wings (12 minutes)	281 Buffalo Chicken Wings in 12 minutes	N/A	September 1, 2019
Corn Dogs (3 minutes)	11 corn dogs in three minutes	Clowndog Hot Dog Parlor	October 1, 2022
Brats (4.5oz)	36 brats in 10 minutes	Snowbird	August 24, 2019
Fortune Bay Indian Tacos	39 tacos in eight minutes	Tower, MN	November 2, 2019
10-inch pizza	83 slices in 10 minutes	Johns Incredible Pizza Co.	April 22, 2018
Æbleskivers	107 Æbleskivers in eight minutes	Tivoli Fest Elk Horn	May 26, 2018
Tamales	95 tamales in two minutes	Lewisville Western Days Festival	September 28, 2019
Nine-inch personal pizzas	19.25 pies	Vaughn Pizzafest	July 15, 2018
Strawberry Shortcake	23.75 pounds in eight minutes	Mattituck Lions Club Strawberry Festival	June 15, 2024
Pretzels	26 pretzels in eight minutes	Malted Barley Pretzels	June 8, 2019
Chicken Wings, Hooters	281 Hooters Wings in 10 minutes	Hooters World Wing Eating Championship	June 19, 2019
Sloppers	37.5 sloppers in eight minutes	Colorado State Fair	September 5, 2020
Benny's Virginia Slice Pizza Slices	11.5 slices in 10 minutes	Benny's Invitational Pizza Eating Championship	April 16, 2022
Egg Rolls	32.25 egg rolls in eight minutes	Lubbock, TX	June 11, 2022
Banana Pudding	15.5 pounds in eight minutes	Madison, AL	August 5, 2022
Brats (3.2oz)	76 brats in 10 minutes	Oktoberfest Zinzinnati	September 18, 2022
Bagels with Cream Cheese	17.75 bagels in eight minutes	N/A	January 15, 2023