What's behind the bizarre hot dog dispute in the USA
The world's best hot dog eater makes a deal with a vegan sausage manufacturer. Joey Chestnut is not present at the traditional hot dog eating contest in New York on the 4th of July. Instead, he ate against soldiers - and soon even live on Netflix.
No one eats hot dogs as fast as Joey Chestnut. Every year on July 4, the 40-year-old American shows off his abilities. Normally in Coney Island, a small New York neighborhood in the south of Brooklyn. Since over 100 years, this famous hot dog eating contest on the American National Holiday is held there. Therefore, thousands of fans come to Coney Island, put on hot dog hats, and cheer on the eaters at the "Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest." They did this again this year, but unfortunately, Chestnut was not there.
The "GOAT" (Greatest of All Time) of dangerous hot dog consumption has instead participated in a counter-event. At Fort Bliss military base in Texas, Chestnut competed against four soldiers. In five minutes, the 40-year-old consumed 57 hot dogs and earned $1,000 for each swallowed sausage. The money is now being donated to military families.
With this eating speed, Chestnut would have had good chances for a new world record at the cult contest in New York. This record was set by the "Michael Jordan of eating" in 2021: 76 hot dogs and buns in ten minutes. However, the Major League Eating (MLE) could not rely on the 16-time champion for the Super Bowl of eating this year because Chestnut recently signed a sponsorship deal with a competing brand of Nathan's Famous that produces vegan hot dogs.
"Just like Michael Jordan would represent Adidas"
Nathan's is the hot dog brand that traditionally organizes the contest in Coney Island on the 4th of July together with the Major League Eating. A league spokesperson explained to ESPN that participants are not allowed to advertise for competing hot dog brands. "We are in a brand conflict. We asked Joey to change course, but he didn't want to." However, the MLE spokesperson added, "We love Joey, he's a great champion, a great friend, a big Major League Eater."
Joey Chestnut himself found it hard to swallow his exclusion before the 4th of July. He says he has no contract with the Major League Eating or with the hot dog chain Nathan's Famous. The 40-year-old engineering graduate from Kentucky accuses the organizer of changing the rules regarding his advertising partners in the past.
The eating league, however, understands the position of its long-term hot dog exclusivity partner Nathan's. "That's like Michael Jordan saying, 'I will also represent Adidas'," explained the co-founder and CEO George Shea.
76 hot dogs in 10 minutes
The brand for which Joey Chestnut now does advertising is called Impossible Foods - it is a competitor of Nathan's, but only produces vegan hot dogs. "Meat eaters should not be limited to a specific sausage," Impossible Foods tried to smooth things over with ESPN.
The Major League Eating had to swallow the bitter pill and do without Chestnut on the National Holiday. Teammate Patrick Bertoletti took advantage of the absence of the eating legend and consumed 58 hot dogs with buns in ten minutes, just one hot dog more than Chestnut in five minutes.
Chestnut's record could not be broken by Bertoletti. In the eternal best list, Chestnut still holds the first twelve places. Three years ago, the 40-year-old consumed an incredible 76 hotdogs with buns. In 2020, it was 75 during the Ghost Wetzel without spectators during the Corona Pandemic. The year before that, 63 consumed hotdogs ensured a never-threatened victory.
In the women's competition in New York, there was a record this year: Title defender Miki Sudo consumed 51 hotdogs. The favorite has won every competition since 2014, except for 2021 - when she did not participate as she was pregnant. Now she is eating herself into new spheres, with the new world record, she could become the "new face of eating," as the competition commentators on ESPN speculated. Or as MLE CEO George Shea, who is best known for his role as Master of Ceremonies, expressed it: "Nature has formed a warrior with teeth and claws, her soul shines like magnesium, ignites against the dark mountain of the night."
Hot Dog Eating Contest on Netflix soon
For Chestnut, it's about the sausage in various other competitions now, following his vegan sausage deal. "Rest assured, you'll see me eat again soon! Stay hungry!", Chestnut posted on X after his New York departure became public. Shortly thereafter, Netflix surprisingly pulled the trigger. The streaming service is broadcasting a hot dog eating contest between Chestnut and his former rival Takeru Kobayashi from Japan on September 2.
Netflix is marketing the confrontation as "unfinished beef" - which, due to the double meaning of the English word "beef," means both "uncooked beef" and an "unresolved dispute." "The greatest eater in the world will be determined once and for all," ESPN wrote about the contest.
Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi have been rivals since 2007. The Japanese won the hot dog eating contest in New York for six consecutive years. Then came Chestnut and knocked Kobayashi off the throne. Kobayashi was then the only one who could challenge Chestnut. In 2010, Major League Eating wanted to sign an exclusive contract with Takeru Kobayashi. But he rejected it and was excluded from the hot dog eating contest. He came to Coney Island in a shirt with the inscription "Free Kobayashi" and was arrested by the police there.
Chestnut and Kobayashi will face each other again soon. The Japanese is the only one who can challenge Chestnut. At the beginning of September, it's about the sausage again.
Despite Joey Chestnut's new vegan sausage sponsorship with Impossible Foods, international viewers can still enjoy his competitive eating on Netflix. The streaming service will broadcast a hot dog eating contest between Chestnut and his longtime rival Takeru Kobayashi from Japan on September 2.
Despite being a well-known hot dog brand in New York, Nathan's Famous struggles to compete with the popularity of vegan hot dogs. Many international restaurants and eateries have incorporated vegan options into their menus, making a vegan diet more accessible worldwide.
