After breaking out of Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest in New York, competitive eater Joey Chestnut is bouncing back by hosting his own hot dog eating contest against troops in Texas.
The chestnut will be live broadcast himself confronting soldiers at the Fort Bliss military outpost in El Paso, Texas, at 3:30 p.m. mountain time, according to Strong Bliss.
For the first time in 19 years, Chestnut will not be competing in the 10-minute Brooklyn hot dog eating festival that he has won 16 times and is the reigning champion of.
Instead, the world’s most competitive eater will take on soldiers in a five-minute hot dog eating contest.
For nearly two decades, Chestnut had been part of the Coney Island tradition at Nathan’s, but he had a falling out with organizers earlier this year.
American diner Joey Chestnut says he has been banned from entering Nathan’s July 4 hot dog eating contest in Coney Island this summer because of sponsorship from a vegan rival
In June, the food leader claimed he had been banned from Nathan’s after accepting a sponsorship with vegan hot dog maker Impossible Foods.
“I was devastated to learn from the media that after 19 years I have been banned from participating in the Nathan’s 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” Chestnut said in a post on Twitter.
‘I love competing in that event, I love celebrating America with my fans across this great country on the Fourth of July and I’ve been training to defend my title.
The fallout cost him dearly, as Chestnut was reportedly paid $200,000 to appear on last year’s contest and was offered a four-year, $1.2 million contract beginning this year.
By comparison, this year Chestnut will compete against four of the Army’s finest, devouring all-beef hot dogs to raise money for military families, organizers say.
The event, which is part of the ‘Pop goes to Fort Independence Day Celebration,’ will also include a preliminary pizza-eating contest for soldiers, followed by a chestnut tasting.
Chestnut will then host a “fireside chat” and take questions from the audience.
Chestnut says he was training to defend his 2023 title before a ‘ban’ from competition
Meanwhile, the Nathan’s contest continues this year without its record holder.
“To be clear, I am not under contract with MLE or Nathans and they are looking to change the rules from previous years in regards to other partners I can work with,” Chestnut said last month.
‘Apparently this is the basis for why I’m banned, and it doesn’t affect the 4th of July event.
‘Unfortunately, this is the decision Nathan’s and Major League Eating are making, and it will deprive die-hard fans of the usual holiday cheer and entertainment.
‘To my fans, I love and appreciate you. Rest assured you’ll see me eating again soon! STAY HUNGRY!!!’
Major League Eating (MLE) contradicted Chestnut’s version. NBC News.
“There’s no ban. Major League Eating wants it there. The fans want it there. Nathan’s wants it there,” MLE’s Richard Shea told the network.
“We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand selling plant-based hot dogs rather than compete in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” read a statement from Major League Eating (MLE), which sanctions the event.
‘MLE and Nathan’s went out of their way to accommodate Joey and his management team, agreeing to the appearance fee and allowing Joey to compete in a rival, unbranded, hot dog eating contest on Labor Day.
Chestnut has won Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest a record 16 times, including in 2023.
“Joey Chestnut is an American hero. We would love nothing more than to have him in the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, which he has dominated for years. We look forward to having him return when he’s not representing a rival brand.”
Ultimately, Chestnut felt compelled to honor his unspecified agreement with Impossible Foods.
Chestnut has been eating competitively since 2005 and has been devouring the competition ever since.
His record of 76 hot dogs consumed at the 2021 Nathan’s competition remains the most consumed in competitions worldwide.
