We’ve known Jonathan Cheban for as long as we’ve know Kim Kardashian, but what do we really know about Kim’s best friend?
WATCH: Jonathan Cheban does gross favour for pregnant Kim Kardashian
While we now can legally refer to him as Foodgōd, the 44-year-old is living his best life eating food, and being the fly on the wall we all wish to be in the Kardashian household.
WHERE DID HE COME FROM?
Jonathan was actually born in the Soviet Union in 1974. His mother, Galina Cheban, is a real estate agent and his father, Mikhail Cheban, was a diamond dealer.
In 1995 Jonathan graduated from Hofstra University with a communications degree. Jonathan went straight into communications, working in the research department at The Late Show with David Letterman, later joining a PR company. Soon after in 2001, he created his own company called CommandPR, throwing parties for celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Janet Jackson.
Jonathan came from nothing, which he has touched on before. “I had zero money,” he told Refinery 29 in 2017. “Everything is all self-made — every single thing. When people say they assume I’m just a lazy rich kid, I think, I’ve probably worked harder than you’ll ever work in your life.”
‘KEEPING UP WITH THE KARDASHIANS’ WASN’T HIS FIRST REALITY SHOW
In 2010, Jonathan had his own show called The Spin Crowd on E! , which was produced by Kimberly Kardashian. Yep, that’s Kim Kardashian West to you. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled after one season.
The reality star also competed on Celebrity Big Brother and the U.K.’s Celebs Go Dating and featured on an episode of Millionaire Matchmaker.
KIM KARDASHIAN ISN’T HIS ONLY FAMOUS FRIEND
Like Kim, Jonathan is tight with Paris Hilton, as well as her sister Nicky Hilton.
“It’s really weird, because I do have a lot of friends who are famous, but I always knew them way before,” he said in 2004 to the Observer. “I mean, back in the day when Ozzy would play Madison Square Garden, I was sneaking Kelly and Jack into Suite 16. And I’ve been friends with Paris and Nicky since they were kids.”
HOW DID JONATHAN CHEBAN AND KIM KARDASHIAN MEET?
Accidentally, the pair were seated next to each other at a birthday dinner.
“We got on instantly,” he said on the Lorraine show in 2016. Even now, Jonathan can’t believe he is best friends with THE Kim Kardashian.
“She always ends up coming and meeting you, and I’m like, is she gonna cancel? Because obviously it’s so crazy. She’s like, I’m five minutes late! I’m like, that’s my girl! Never disappoints.”
IS HE SINGLE? DATING? MARRIED?
We think he is single. In 2012, Jonathan started dating stylist Anat Popovsky, who he met while filming Kourtney and Kim Take Miami.
The pair eventually split, and in January this year, he was spotted with a mystery woman.
Jonathan’s sexuality was question by Kim’s ex-husband Kris Humphries during an episode of Kourtney & Kim Take New York in 2012.
When the episode aired, Jonathan tweeted, “BULLY!” and “IGNORANT!” after having to defend himself throughout the homophobic episode.
JONATHAN DOESN’T GET ALONG WITH ALL THE KARDASHIANS
In 2013, the publicist was slapped by Kourtney Kardashian during an episode of KUWTK, during an argument.
“You’re shoved so far up Kim’s ass. You’re such a f*cking loser,” Kourtney yelled. Recently, Khloé tried did her best to kick him off their Family Feud team. While he is part of the family, the rest of the siblings enjoy taunting him.
HE LEGALLY CHANGED HIS NAME TO FOODGŌD
In 2017, a rep told PEOPLE that he was looking into changing his name legally. In a recent episode of KUWTK this year, Jonathan celebrated his name-change.
“People are constantly screaming Foodgōd as he walks down the street and showing up to restaurants while he is there, following his eating adventures,” a rep for Jonathan star told PEOPLE before his official name change. “It has become cult-like.”
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