Who is Joey Chestnut? 16-time Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest winner to make a comeback
Joey Chestnut, the competitive eating superstar, is set to return to Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest this year. The 16-time champion missed the contest last year due to a dispute with Major League Eating over his sponsorship deal with plant-based hot dog manufacturer Impossible Foods. Joey Chestnut and Major League Eating were in negotiations last week regarding his return to the competition, according to the New York Post.
In a series of posts on X, Joey Chestnut celebrated his return to Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. He stated that the event 'means the world' to him, calling it a 'cherished tradition' and 'a celebration of American culture.'
Regarding last year's controversy about his sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, Chestnut said, 'While I have and continue to partner with a variety of companies, including some in the plant-based space, those relationships were never a conflict with my love for hot dogs. To be clear: Nathan's is the only hot dog company I've ever worked with.'
He is a competitive eater who has won Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest every year from 2015 to 2023. The Indiana native first participated in the competition in 2005. His dispute with Major League Eating last year caused him to miss the chance to add another title to his tally.
The 41-year-old has now agreed to endorse only Nathan's hot dogs as part of a three-year deal with the company and the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) Inc., which runs the annual competition, USA Today reported. The contract was signed earlier in June. The outlet also reported that Chestnut is still working with Impossible Foods. He declined to share the financial details of Nathan's contract.
ALSO READ: Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2024: Time, competitors, prizes and more
It is an annual contest held at Coney Island on the Fourth of July. Chestnut will return to the competitive eating event in an attempt to defeat last year's champion, Patrick Bertoletti, who scarfed down 58 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. Bertoletti became the first person since 2015, other than Chestnut, to win the contest.
In the women's category, Miki Sudo ate 51 hot dogs and buns to win the title. Chestnut still holds the overall contest record, eating 76 hot dogs and buns in 2021. Joey Chestnut told USA Today that he hopes to set a new record this year, aiming to consume 80 hot dogs at the contest.
He is known for winning Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest consecutively from 2015 to 2023.
The competition will be aired on ESPN.
He ate a record 76 hot dogs and buns in 2021.
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