The Rise of First We Feast: From Food Blog to YouTube Powerhouse

First We Feast has transformed from a humble food culture blog into one of YouTube's most recognizable entertainment channels, boasting over 14.7 million subscribers and more than 4 billion total video views as of June 2025.^[1] What started as an offshoot of Complex magazine in 2012 has evolved into a multimedia empire that uses food as a lens to explore pop culture, music, and celebrity interviews in ways that traditional media rarely achieves.^[2]

The channel's founder, Chris Schonberger, recognized early on that food culture was becoming a dominant part of everyday conversation. As he explained, there was "this shift in culture around food where what you cooked that weekend or where you went to dinner almost became more of the watercooler conversation than sports and music," yet existing food media felt disconnected from mainstream audiences.^[3] This insight would prove to be the foundation for First We Feast's unique approach to content creation.

Hot Ones: The Show That Changed Celebrity Interviews

The crown jewel of First We Feast's content empire is undoubtedly "Hot Ones," the celebrity interview show that launched in 2015 and has since become a cultural phenomenon.^[4] Hosted by Sean Evans, the show's ingenious format requires both interviewer and guest to eat progressively spicier chicken wings while discussing everything from career highlights to personal revelations. This unique approach has loosened up even the most media-trained celebrities, creating authentic moments that traditional talk shows rarely capture.^[5]

The show's success can be measured not just in views, but in its ability to attract A-list talent. Over the years, "Hot Ones" has featured an impressive roster of guests including Jennifer Lawrence, Gordon Ramsay, Shaquille O'Neal, Tom Holland, Paul Rudd, Margot Robbie, and countless other high-profile celebrities.^[4] The format's effectiveness lies in how the shared experience of eating increasingly spicy food creates an equalizing dynamic between host and guest, often resulting in more candid and entertaining conversations.

Sean Evans: The Host Behind the Heat

Sean Evans has become synonymous with "Hot Ones," earning praise for his deeply researched questions and professional demeanor even while enduring extreme spice levels alongside his guests. His interview style and preparation have been consistently highlighted as key factors in the show's success, with many celebrities noting his thorough research and thoughtful questioning.^[4] Evans' role has expanded beyond just hosting, as he now serves as the chief creative officer for First We Feast following the company's recent ownership change.^[6]

Explosive Growth and Mainstream Recognition

First We Feast's growth trajectory has been remarkable since launching its YouTube channel in 2014. The channel experienced particularly rapid expansion from 2019 to 2021, doubling its subscriber count from 5 million to 10 million during this period.^[5] By May 2021, the channel had reached the significant milestone of 10 million subscribers, representing substantial growth from the 8.6 million subscribers it had in April 2020.^[3]

The channel's diverse programming slate has consistently delivered impressive viewership numbers. "Hot Ones" episodes average 4.7 million views, while other popular shows like "The Burger Show" average 1.4 million views per episode.^[7] The channel maintains strong engagement metrics, averaging 10,000 comments per video and maintaining an impressive like-to-dislike ratio of 42.7 to 1.^[7]

Beyond Hot Ones: A Diverse Content Portfolio

While "Hot Ones" remains the flagship show, First We Feast has developed a comprehensive slate of food-related programming that appeals to various audience segments. The channel produces "The Burger Show," hosted by chef Alvin Cailan, which explores modern burger culture, and "Burger Scholar Sessions," featuring George Motz teaching regional burger styles and techniques.^[1]

Additional programming includes "Pro Moves" with food TV icon Adam Richman, "Hot Kitchen" featuring chef Christian Alquiza on spice-fueled cooking missions, and "Heat Eaters" with chef Esther Choi exploring the world's spiciest cuisines.^[1] This diverse content strategy has helped First We Feast build a comprehensive food and pop culture brand that extends well beyond its most famous show.

A Major Ownership Transition

December 2024 marked a significant turning point for First We Feast when BuzzFeed sold the company for $82.5 million to a consortium of investors.^[8] The buying group included several notable parties: an affiliate of Soros Fund Management, First We Feast founder Chris Schonberger, "Hot Ones" host Sean Evans, podcast company Crooked Media, and Mythical Entertainment (founded by YouTube personalities Rhett and Link).^[6]

This sale effectively completed BuzzFeed's divestiture of assets acquired through its 2021 purchase of Complex Networks, with BuzzFeed recouping nearly all of its original $198 million investment across both the Complex and First We Feast sales.^[9] The transaction allows First We Feast to operate as an independent company, with Schonberger assuming the role of CEO and Evans taking on the newly created position of chief creative officer while continuing to host "Hot Ones."^[6]

Current Performance and Future Outlook

As of June 2025, First We Feast continues to demonstrate strong performance metrics across multiple platforms. The channel maintains its position with 14.7 million subscribers and has accumulated over 4.5 billion total video views.^[1] Recent analytics show the channel gained approximately 230,770 subscribers in the past 30 days and generated over 57 million video views during the same period.^[10]

The channel's estimated monthly earnings range between $21,600 and $129,000, though these figures represent conservative estimates based on standard advertising revenue models.^[10] Beyond YouTube advertising, First We Feast has built a diversified revenue stream that includes merchandise sales, branded hot sauce products (reportedly generating $10 million annually), and strategic brand partnerships.^[7]

Looking ahead, the newly independent First We Feast is positioned to expand into new areas including live events, talent acquisition, and additional platform development. The company's leadership has expressed enthusiasm about leveraging their proven expertise in developing compelling formats and conducting best-in-class interviews to build on their existing momentum.^[11] With "Hot Ones" approaching its 10th anniversary and the 26th season premiering in January 2025, the show continues to maintain its cultural relevance and appeal to both celebrities and audiences alike.^[6]