Patrick Bertoletti emerged victorious in the Nathan's 2024 men's Hot Dog Eating Contest, following the revelation that perennial champion Joey Chestnut would be absent due to his endorsement deal with Impossible Foods. Meanwhile, Miki Sudo solidified her dominance in the women's division, claiming her impressive 10th title.
Amidst a nail-biting race with 13 international contenders, Bertoletti, a Chicago native, devoured a staggering 58 hot dogs, surpassing his previous best of 55 in just 10 minutes. "I was fueled by the hunger to finish the job," he exclaimed after his triumphant victory.
On the other side of the spectrum, Sudo, a Florida native, set a new world record for women by consuming 51 hot dogs. She faced fierce competition from 13 rivals, including her Japanese counterpart, Mayoi Ebihara. Having surpassed her own record of 39 1/2 hot dogs from last year, Sudo triumphantly declared, "I'm elated to retain this title for yet another year."
The annual contest, held on the Fourth of July, marked the first time in nearly two decades that Joey Chestnut did not participate. Despite his absence, he will lock horns with military personnel at a U.S. Army base in El Paso later in the day. The renowned competitive eater has reigned supreme at Nathan's a total of 16 times, including every year since 2016. However, his endorsement deal with Impossible Foods, which recently launched a plant-based hot dog, led to a clash with Major League Eating's (MLE) exclusivity rules.
MLE released a statement in June stating, "For almost two decades, we've adhered to the same hot dog exclusivity guidelines. It seems that Joey and his team have chosen a new partnership with a different hot dog brand over our longstanding relationship."
Upon learning of his disqualification, Chestnut expressed his disappointment in a statement, noting that he was "heartbroken" to learn of his ban through the media. "To clarify, I do not have a contract with MLE or Nathan's, and they are attempting to alter the rules pertaining to my other partnerships," he wrote. "Regrettably, this is the decision Nathan's and MLE have made, and it will undoubtedly disappoint the devoted fans who anticipate this holiday's joy and entertainment."
Although Chestnut did not grace the stage in Coney Island this year, his fans can still witness his hot dog-eating prowess this summer. The competitive eater will square off against his "fiercest rival," Takeru Kobayashi, in a hot dog-eating contest broadcast live on Netflix on Labor Day, September 2.
Dubbed "Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef," the special will reunite these legendary rivals for the first time since 2009, when Chestnut emerged victorious in a thrilling five-hotdog sudden-death challenge. "Throughout my years in competitive eating, Kobayashi has stood out as my toughest opponent," said Chestnut in a statement announcing the special. "Competing against him has pushed me to excel. I know fans have been eagerly awaiting another chapter in our rivalry, and I'm thrilled to showcase our epic showdown live on Netflix! It's time to give the people what they've been craving!"
Kobayashi, who had retired from competitive eating, was coaxed back into the fray by Netflix for one final frank-eating duel. "My retirement will only be complete after I've defeated him once again," Kobayashi vowed. "This rivalry has been brewing for a long time. Competing live against Joey on Netflix means fans worldwide will witness me knock him out."
