Renowned competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut made a triumphant return on Friday, reclaiming his championship at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest. After skipping last year’s event in New York due to a contract issue, he once again seized the coveted Mustard Belt.
Chestnut, at 41, devoured 70 and a half hot dogs and buns within 10 minutes. Although he didn’t surpass his 2021 record of 76, this victory marks his 17th win in 20 attempts at the globally televised event. Last year, his absence was due to a contract disagreement.
“I wish I ate a couple more. Sorry guys,” a smiling Chestnut told the crowd, many chanting his name. “I’ll be back next year.”
In the women’s division, Miki Sudo from Tampa, Florida, successfully defended her title by eating 33 hot dogs, outpacing over a dozen rivals. Despite registering a personal best of 51 hot dogs last year, she expressed regret for not reaching that level of performance again.
“I feel like I let the fans down a little bit. I heard people in the crowd saying, ‘Go for 52,’” Sudo told ESPN. “Obviously, I’m always setting my goals high, but the hot dogs weren’t cooperating. For some reason, the buns felt larger today.”
A large crowd, peppered with foam hot dog hats, turned out to witness the annual eat-a-thon, held outside the original Nathan’s Famous restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, since 1972. Many fans showed up to see Chestnut’s much-awaited return to an event he has called “a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life.”
Chestnut bested 14 fellow competitors from across the U.S. and the world, including Australia, the Czech Republic, Ontario, England and Brazil. Last year’s winner, Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago, came in second place after gobbling up 46 1/2 hot dogs and buns, falling short of the 58 he ate to earn the 2024 men’s title.
“I love being here,” Chestnut told ESPN after his win. “As soon as I found out I was coming, my body — it was easy to train. I love doing it. And love pushing myself and beating the heck out of people.”
Last year, Major League Eating event organizer George Shea said Chestnut would not be participating in the contest due to a contract dispute. Chestnut had struck a deal with a competing brand, the plant-based meat company Impossible Foods.
Chestnut told The Associated Press last month that he had never appeared in any commercials for the company’s vegan hot dogs and that Nathan’s is the only hot dog company he has worked with. But Chestnut acknowledged he “should have made that more clear with Nathan’s.”
Last year, Chestnut ate 57 dogs — in only five minutes — in an exhibition with soldiers, at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. He said that event was “amazing” and that he was pleased to still have a chance to eat hot dogs — a lot of them — on July Fourth.
“I’m happy I did that, but I’m really happy to be back at Coney Island,” he said.
