10 hours ago
World's Greatest Hot Dog Eater Returns To Site Of Former Glory
The greatest hot dog eater in human history will soon be returning to his former stomping grounds.
Back in 2021, Joey Chestnut set the world record for most hot dogs eaten in a 10-minute period by gulping down 76 dogs at the Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest in Coney Island, New York.
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Chestnut is a major-league competitive eater who has won the Nathan's competition a record 16 times ― including in 2022 and 2023, when he ate 63 and 62 dogs, respectively. He bowed out of the 2024 contest after he signed an endorsement deal with the Impossible Foods brand, which sells vegan hot dogs.
Chestnut's deal with Impossible Foods apparently conflicted with Nathan's Famous' sponsorship of the hot dog eating contest, so he declined to participate.
That allowed Pat Bertoletti to win last year's event by eating 58 dogs, marking the first time since 2015 that Chestnut didn't win Major League Eating's biggest event.
On Monday, Chestnut announced on X that he is once again participating in the July 4 Nathan's contest in hopes of winning the coveted mustard belt for a 17th time.
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In a series of tweets, Chestnut called the hot dog contest 'a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture and a huge part of my life.'
Chestnut alluded to last year's controversy by noting he has partnered with 'a variety of companies, including some in the plant-based space,' but insisted 'Nathan's is the only hot dog company I've ever worked with.'
'I respect that there were differences in interpretation, but I'm grateful we've been able to find common ground,' Chestnut said. 'I'm excited to be back on the Coney Island stage, doing what I live to do, and celebrating the Fourth of July with hot dogs in my hands! Stay hungry!'
Major League Eating, the body behind the hot dog eating contest and other competitive eating events, attempted to amp up the excitement with a hype video featuring Chestnut.
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