Patrick Bertoletti wins Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest 2024 in the absence of Joey Chestnut

A new winner of the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest has been crowned.

After devouring 58 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes at Coney Island in New York City on Thursday, July 4, Patrick Bertoletti emerged as the winner of the annual eating spectacle. The 26-year-old from Chicago last took part in the annual event in 2022 and ate fewer than 35 hot dogs.

With his victory on Thursday, Bertoletti broke his personal record of 55 hot dogs and buns. (In the women’s Miki Sudo won her 10th title after eating 51 hot dogs and buns.)

This year the men’s competition took place without the biggest star of competitive eating, Joey Chestnut.

Chestnut, 40, was disqualified from competing after signing an endorsement deal with plant-based meat company Impossible Foods.

Celebrities try ordinary foods for the first time: Kylie Jenner eats cereal, Tom Brady tries a strawberry and more

Last year, Chestnut – a 16-time winner of Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest – won the competition by eating 62 hot dogs and buns. In 2021, he set the world record at the event by eating 76 hot dogs and buns.

“We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a competing brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than participate in the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on July 4, 2024,” Major League Eating (MLE) said in a June 11 statement.

MLE said they made “great efforts” to make something work, but ultimately acknowledged that “it appears that Joey and his managers prioritized a new partnership with another hot dog brand over our long-standing business relationship.”

Chestnut responded on social media that MLE wanted to “change the rules” regarding its association with other food brands.

“This is apparently the reason for my suspension,” he wrote on Instagram on June 11, “and it has no impact on the Fourth of July competition.”

Chestnut called the decision to disqualify him from the competition “very disappointing” and said the ruling would “deprive the big fans of the usual joy and entertainment of this holiday.”

“I love participating in this event,” Chestnut continued. “I love celebrating on the 4th with my fans in this great country of America, and I have been training to defend my title.”

Stars who have had their own cooking shows over the years: Selena Gomez, Florence Pugh and more

Instead, Chestnut is taking his talents to Fort Bliss, Texas, on July 4, where he will compete in a 5-minute eating contest against four soldiers. The four-on-one challenge can be streamed on Chestnut’s YouTube page starting at 5 p.m. ET.

Chestnut will also face his long-time rival Takeru Kobayashi in a live eating contest on Netflix over Labor Day weekend.

The special thing, called Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beefwill “determine the ultimate hot dog eating contest champion, where contestants compete to eat the most all-beef hot dogs.”

“In all my years of competitive eating, Kobayashi is my biggest rival,” Chestnut said in a statement. “Competing against him has made me want to be so much better. I know the fans have been waiting a long time for a new chapter in our rivalry, and I can’t wait for our big showdown live on Netflix! It’s time to give the people what they want!”

Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef will air on Netflix on September 2nd.