Jonathan Cheban
Cheban in 2023
Born
Jonathan Cheban

(1974-02-21) February 21, 1974
Kishinev, Moldavian SSR, Soviet Union
EducationFort Lee High School
Alma materHofstra University
Occupations
  • Reality TV personality
  • entrepreneur
Television

Foodgod[1] (born Jonathan Cheban; 21 February 1974)[2][3] is an American reality television personality, entrepreneur and former publicist. He has made appearances on the show Keeping Up with the Kardashians and its spinoffs.

Early life

Cheban was born in Moldova, Soviet Union in 1974,[2] the only child of a real-estate agent mother, Galina, and a diamond-dealer father, Mikhail[4] who died in 2011.[3] He grew up in Fort Lee, New Jersey and attended Fort Lee High School before graduating from Hofstra University with a communications degree in 1995.[4][2] Cheban is of Russian Jewish background.[5]

Career

Publicist

After graduation, Cheban began working for publicist Peggy Siegal at her firm in New York.[4] At one point, music manager Benny Medina called Siegal to work on Sean Combs' 29th birthday party. When Siegal rejected the offer despite Cheban's urging, Cheban accepted the job himself. Cheban left Siegal and formed his own public-relations firm with two other publicists. He left that company in 2001, and went on to found his own firm, CommandPR.[4]

Reality television

Cheban first gained public attention with his appearance on the reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, appearing as a friend of the Kardashian sisters.[6] He subsequently appeared in several episodes of the show's spin-offs, Kourtney and Kim Take New York, Kourtney and Kim Take Miami and Kourtney and Khloé Take The Hamptons.

In 2010, Cheban starred in his own reality show, The Spin Crowd, chronicling the lives of Cheban, Simon Huck and their employees at his firm.[6] The series' executive producer was reality-TV star Kim Kardashian. It was canceled after one season due to poor ratings.[7]

Cheban's relationship with Kardashian has remained in the public spotlight. In 2012, Cheban made a short video spoofing himself as someone living in the shadow of Kardashian's fame.[8]

In January 2016, Cheban entered the Celebrity Big Brother 17 house in the U.K., to compete as a housemate on its 17th season. He voluntarily left the show within days, which he finished 15th place.[9]

In 2017, Cheban appeared on the second season of U.K.'s "Celebs Go Dating".

Other ventures

In 2008, Cheban launched his own clothing line, Kritik.[10] Cheban also has designed jewelry for RichRocks.[11] In late 2012, Cheban opened Sushi MiKasa, a restaurant in Miami.[12] On November 24, 2013, Cheban also co-hosted Coca-Cola Red Carpet Live!, a pre-show to the 2013 American Music Awards.[13] In January 2014, Cheban launched a product called Glam Screen, which is both a protective cover for a smart phone, as well as a mirror.[14]

In 2014, Cheban launched TheDishh, an entertainment and life-style website that features what Cheban and his team consider to be the highest-quality foods, gadgets and entertainment.[15]

In February 2015, Cheban opened the fast food restaurant Burger Bandit in Lynbrook, New York, on Long Island.[16]

In late 2019 Cheban launched the podcast Foodgod: OMFG![17]

Personal life

In late 2012, Cheban began dating stylist Anat Popovsky after meeting her while filming Kourtney and Kim Take Miami.[18][19] Cheban signed on as a single man on the second episode of the seventh season of Millionaire Matchmaker, which aired on December 12, 2013 on Bravo.[20]

In October 2019, various media outlets announced he had changed his legal name to his social media handle, Foodgod, after starting the process in January.[1][21]

Filmography

Film roles
Year Title Role Notes
2017 By Any Means Phil Cohen
Television roles; as himself
Year Title Notes
2009–2021 Keeping Up with the Kardashians 27 episodes
2009–2013 Kourtney and Kim Take Miami 9 episodes
2010 The Spin Crowd 8 episodes
2011–2012 Kourtney and Kim Take New York 6 episodes
2016 Celebrity Big Brother Walked; 15th place
2017 Celebs Go Dating 7 episodes
2018 The Only Way Is Essex Episode: "Episode #23.7"
2018 Food God 5 episodes
2018 Celebrity Family Feud Episode: "The Kardashians vs. The West Family and Jana Kramer vs. Gary Busey"
2019 Gemma Collins: Diva Forever Recurring role

References

  1. 1 2 Lewis, Isobel (October 27, 2019). "Kim Kardashian's BFF Jonathan Cheban legally changes name to Foodgod". Metro. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 Stein, Joshua David (September 16, 2016). "Dinner at TAO with the 'FoodGod' Jonathan Cheban". GQ. Retrieved December 30, 2017. Cheban was born in Russia [sic] in 1974 but grew up across the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee, New Jersey.
  3. 1 2 Lee, Esther (December 19, 2013). "Jonathan Cheban, Kim Kardashian's Friend, on Millionaire Matchmaker". Us Weekly. Retrieved February 1, 2014. ...the reality star, 39.... [M]y dad passed away two years ago.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Hancock, Noelle (January 18, 2013). "The Art of the Schmooze". New York Observer. Archived from the original on December 2, 2011. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  5. ↑ Efrem, Maia (May 21, 2014). "5 Jewish Things About Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's Wedding". The Forward. Retrieved December 30, 2017.
  6. 1 2 Murphy, Lauren M. "Jonathan Cheban: PR King". Los Angeles Confidential. Retrieved October 5, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Spin Crowd, The". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Jonathan Cheban: I'm Kim Kardashian's BEST Friend!". Funny or Die. July 19, 2012. Archived from the original on August 27, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  9. ↑ "Jonathan Cheban Leaves U.K. Celebrity Big Brother, Citing Concerns for His 'Mental Stability'". People. January 11, 2016. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Jonathan Cheban Launches Kritik Clothing |". Fashionwashere.net. April 11, 2008. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Jonathan Cheban Teams Up With RichRocks To Launch His First Jewelry Collection!". Hollywood Life. June 13, 2011. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Jonathan Cheban to Open Sushi MiKasa at Shelborne - Fall Tracking - Eater Miami". Miami.eater.com. November 6, 2012. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Presenters Announced for the "2013 American Music Awards" Airing Live Sunday, November 24th At 8 PM ET/PT on ABC" (Press release). Dick Clark Productions. November 21, 2013. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Meet Glam Screen, the smartphone cover that doubles as a mirror". Yahoo. January 23, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2014.
  15. ↑ Horgan, Richard. "Jonathan Cheban Builds Out The Dishh". Media Bistro. Retrieved December 3, 2014.
  16. ↑ Marcus, ERIC (February 23, 2015). "Burger Bandit opens in Lynbrook". Newsday. New York City / Long Island. Archived from the original on February 22, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Foodgod Jonathan Cheban Opens up About New Podcast, Candid First Interview with Kim Kardashian".
  18. ↑ "Jonathan Cheban Date Night — Reality Star Spotted Out With Girlfriend". Hollywood Life. June 18, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Jonathan Cheban and Girlfriend Anat Popovsky's European Getaway Brought Them Even Closer Together". E! News UK. September 9, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  20. ↑ Johnson, Zach (November 18, 2013). "Jonathan Cheban Looks for Love on Bravo's Millionaire Matchmaker". E! Online. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
  21. ↑ "Kim Kardashian's Pal Jonathan Cheban Legally Changes Name to Foodgod".
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