What happened to Kim Kardashian’s best friend Jonathan Cheban 15 years after being introduced
One of reality TV’s most recognisable friendships is the long-standing bond between Kim Kardashian and Jonathan Cheban.
The pair first became close in the 2000s, before Kim rose to global fame. As her profile grew throughout the 2000s and 2010s, he remained a familiar face in her inner circle, regularly appearing alongside Kim and her family on E!’s Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
Cheban first appeared on the show in 2009 and went on to become a recurring presence throughout its run. However, in recent years, fans have noticed that the pair appear to spend less time together publicly, with fewer photos and appearances sparking speculation over whether their decades-long friendship has stood the test of time.
The 53-year-old has not appeared on the family’s latest Hulu/Disney+ reality series, The Kardashians. However, he remains active on social media, where he runs the popular @foodgod account, which boasts 3.6 million followers. Cheban has built a following around his love of food.
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Some fans have even speculated whether there’s a secret ‘feud’ between Kim and Jonathan.
But the reality TV star set the record straight and clarified where he and Kim stand at the moment.
Addressing speculation about their friendship, Jonathan explained in May 2026 that while he may not be as involved in the Kardashian family’s group chats, he still keeps in regular contact with Kim.
"I don't really get in the group chats," Jonathan told E! News at Vulture's Inaugural Reality Masterminds Celebration in New York City, when asked if he keeps in touch with the Kardashian family. "But I spoke to Kim literally two days ago."
The 53-year-old said their busy schedules and constant travel commitments have made it harder for them to spend time together in person, particularly as Kim balances her career with raising her four children: North, 12, Saint, 10, Chicago, 8, and Psalm, 7, whom she shares with ex Kanye West.
"She's like, 'I'm back in LA.' I'm like, 'We just got to New York,'" Jonathan explained. "She goes, 'I went to LA for North and then I came right back.'"
Despite seeing each other less often, Jonathan insisted their friendship remains strong. "We speak all the time. I really don't get to see them as much," he continued, "because I live in Miami and New York. They live in LA and then she goes to Paris. It's all those kids!"
He also said he’s open to the idea of returning to the world of reality TV by making a cameo appearance on the family’s current show.
“We are in reality TV vibes,” he said. “People are very nostalgic these days, so maybe I need to be back.”
He wouldn’t be the first famous face from Keeping Up With the Kardashians to make a surprise guest appearance - Caitlyn Jenner and Lamar Odom have both made unexpected returns to the small screen in recent seasons.
When asked about connecting Kim with a new love interest, Jonathan told the Daily Mail.
"I never get involved with her with [dating] or business. We're just straight through."
He continued: "People are always like, 'Oh, but I want to talk to Kim.' I'm like, 'I don't know.'"
"I don't want anything from her, I don't need anything from her. We've been friends for 15 years and I don't ever want to have any issues - connecting her with a guy or connecting her with business," he said.
"I don't need anything except her friendship," he added.
One person who we likely won't see on The Kardashians is Kim's ex-husband, Kris Humphries.
What happened to Kris Humphries?
They might have endured one of the shortest marriages in Hollywood history.
Kim and NBA player Kris Humphries tied the knot in a lavish beachside ceremony in California in August 2011, while Humphries was playing for the New Jersey Nets.
The wedding was filmed and became a huge storyline on Keeping Up With the Kardashians and Cheban was one of their guests.
But their fairytale was over almost as quickly as it began. Just 72 days after saying "I do," Kim filed for divorce, sparking one of Hollywood's most talked-about celebrity splits.
The breakup became even more dramatic during the divorce proceedings, when Humphries reportedly insisted that Kim return the 18-carat emerald-cut diamond engagement ring he had proposed with.
Speaking on an episode of her family's Disney+ series, Kim reflected on the split and revealed she never got to keep the ring.
"I didn't keep that," she said.
Kim went on to claim that Humphries, now 41, had only 'contributed a fifth' of the ring's value.
According to E! News, the former NBA star later auctioned off the engagement ring. His representative told the outlet in 2013: "The ring is indeed Kris' property that he received through his marriage dissolution."
The spokesperson added that Humphries was 'very pleased with the final result' of the sale.
The following year, Kim moved on with rapper Kanye West. The pair went on to marry and welcome four children together: daughters North, 13, and Chicago, eight, and sons Saint, 10, and Psalm, seven, before eventually divorcing in 2022.
While Kim's life remained firmly in the spotlight, Humphries quietly headed in a very different direction after retiring from the NBA in 2017.
"Since I've stepped away from the game, I'm trying to stay under the radar and work on a new phase of my life," he previously told The U.S. Sun.
"I've been developing some business ventures," he added.
In 2023, Humphries opened his first Dave's Hot Chicken franchise in his home state of Minnesota, a year after signing a deal to launch 10 locations across the state. Similar to Cheban, he also uses his social media to promote food.
"I'm familiar with the area and went to Hopkins High School; we used to come over to the mall a lot after school," he told Fox 9 at the time.
"So I thought it would be cool to do the first one near where I used to go to school," Humphries said, adding that the area needed a hot chicken restaurant.
His expansion didn't stop there. By last September, Humphries had signed an agreement to open 30 Dave's Hot Chicken locations across the Twin Cities, according to the Business Journal.
Topics: Kim Kardashian, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Celebrity
Greg Harris