Top dog: Nathan’s hot dog contest crowns new winner after Joey Chestnut ban

Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island has officially crowned a new winner after former champion Joey Chestnut was barred from competing .

Contestants from around the world gathered in Brooklyn on July 4 to eat as many hot dogs as they possibly could in only 10 minutes. Patrick Bertoletti took the top prize in the men’s contest, while defending champion Miki Sudo reigned supreme — and made history — in the women’s battle.

Sudo broke the previous record in the women’s contest, consuming 51 hot dogs in the allotted time period. This was her 10th time winning the coveted pink belt. The Florida native beat out 13 other competitors from around the world, including the runner-up from last year, Mayoi Ebihara, who came in second, consuming only 37 hot dogs. The third place contestant, Michelle Lesco, ate 23.5 hot dogs.

“Breaking 50 is a milestone for all women and I’m really excited to be a part of it,” Sudo told the New York Post after her win.

As for the men, many were expecting the runner-up from last year’s contest, Geoffrey Esper, to win, but he was ultimately beaten by Bertoletti, who gobbled down a whopping 58 hot dogs. Esper ate 53, and the third place contestant, James Webb, consumed 32.

This was the first time in 16 years that someone other than Joey Chestnut has won the contest. The hot dog eating champ did not even appear at the boardwalk this year after announcing that he would be competing in a different hot dog competition in Fort Bliss, Texas.

On June 11, it was first announced that Chestnut, who has won the eating competition a total of 16 times, was not allowed to compete because of a deal he has with a Nathan’s competitor, Impossible Foods, which recently released a plant-based hot dog.

“We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” a statement from MLE said at the time, adding that they made accommodations for Chestnut to compete in a Labor Day hot dog eating contest that would not feature any specific brands.

The statement ended: “For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different brand over our long-time relationship. Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We would love nothing more than to have him at the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest. We hope he returns when he is not representing a rival brand.”

Chestnut went on to respond to the statement in an Instagram post , claiming that the rules were changed this year.

“They are looking to change the rules from past years as it relates to other partners I can work with,” Chestnut claimed. “This is apparently the basis on which I’m being banned, and it doesn’t impact the July 4th contest.”

MLE told The Independent that Chestnut has never been allowed to endorse another hot dog brand. “In return for his fees to appear and compete, Joey agreed every single year to a very simple exclusivity provision — that he would not endorse or sponsor another hot dog brand,” a representative for the organization said.

“The idea that Nathan’s or MLE changed the rules this year is as ridiculous as it is silly. What company would pay someone an appearance fee of several hundred thousand dollars and knowingly let them endorse a direct competitor immediately afterwards?”

“Joey was not banned,” the statement continued. “Joey chose not to compete in the contest the moment he chose to make an endorsement deal with one of Nathan’s competitors.”