Who is Joey Chestnut and why was the competitive eater banned from Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2024?
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JOEY Chestnut is most dominant competitive eater in the sport's history.
He practically owned the trophy for Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest over the last two decades — that is until he was banned.
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Competitive eater Joey Chestnut has won the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest a record 16 times
Credit: Andrew Schwartz / SplashNews.com
Who is Joey Chestnut?
Joey Chestnut was born on November 25, 1983, in Fulton County, Kentucky.
As of June 2025, he is ranked No 1 in the world by Major League Eating - a group that organizes professional competitive eating events and television specials.
Joey's first Nathan's Hot Dog Eating championship was in 2007.
He beat six-time defending champ Takeru "Tsunami" Kobayashi consuming a record-breaking 66 hot dogs and buns.
In July 2009, he set a new world record by downing 68 hot dogs and went on to break his record again in 2013 after consuming 69.
Joey broke his own contest record again in 2020, consuming an astounding 75 hot dogs.
He also took home the 2023 trophy to make it 16 wins out of 17, so since triumphing over Kobayashi in 2007, Joey has only lost once at the annual event — in 2015.
Joey was once engaged to Neslie Ricasa — he proposed to her at the 2014 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest.
The pair split before their planned wedding day and Neslie is now married to Drew Ely, who she shares two children with.
However, the hot dog eating king did NOT defend his crown in 2024.
Why was Joey Chestnut banned from the 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest?
Despite his position as the contest's most famous participant, record winner and record holder, Joey didn't taking part in Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest 2024.
That was because he was BANNED by organisers over a sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods — which promotes meat-fee products.
What's the beef?
Joey Chestnut will not be allowed to compete in this year's Hot Dog Eating Contest because of a new sponsorship.
Chestnut has won 16 Fourth of July contests and in 2021 ate 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
The hot dog eating competition is run by Major League Eating and sponsored by Nathan's - a famous wiener brand.
And Chestnut has signed a deal with plant-based Impossible Foods.
That makes it impossible for him to now compete in the Nathan's contest, unless something changes.
Chestnut said he was "gutted" by the news he wouldn't be allowed to defend his title.
The U.S. Sun exclusively revealed in June 2024, Joey wasn't actually banned and was eligible to come back to the contest, but only if he ditched his Impossible Food deal.
Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest MC George Shea told The U.S. Sun: "We would never ban Joey Chestnut — we are not banning him.
"What happened is after 20 years with Nathan's he signed with a rival brand, a plant-based meat brand which is selling hot dogs which runs into a conflict with Nathan's.
"As a result that conflict makes it that he can't [take part on July 4] and that's always been the case."
However, he decided against ditching his sponsors and instead appeared at an eating contest against American soldiers held at Fort Bliss, Texas.
But in June 2025, Joey and Major League Eating announced that the 41-year-old will return to compete in the Fourth of July tradition.
"I will be thrilled to be returning to the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest," Joey wrote on X.
How many hotdogs did Joey Chestnut eat during the 2023 Hot Dog eating contest?
Chestnut was not able to set a new world record at the 2023 contest, but he was still able to put on an impressive show.
On the way to his 16th title, he was able to consume 62 hot dogs and buns following a long delay for rain.
He set the record in 2021 — with a massive 76 hot dogs and buns — while in 2022 he had to FIGHT OFF a protester who ran on stage.
According to Fox News, the champ was interrupted by protesters about halfway through the 10-minute event.
Joey reportedly grabbed a man around the neck and helped pull him to the ground before returning to his position.
One fan told the media outlet: "Joey was on a record pace. We should have witnessed history.
"That guy totally messed with [Joey's] momentum."
A man was arrested shortly after the altercation, Fox News reported.
But in September 2024, Joey did manage to break his own world record.
He downed 83 hot dogs to defeat Kobayashi once again in Netflix's Unfinished Beef event held on Labor Day in Las Vegas — 15 years after the two last competed against each other.
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