Joey Chestnut reclaims title in
Nathan's Famous hot dog eating contest, wins 17th Mustard Belt
[July 05, 2025]
By SUSAN HAIGH
Famed competitive eater Joey “Jaws” Chestnut reclaimed his title
Friday at the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest
after skipping last year’s gastronomic battle in New York for the
coveted Mustard Belt.
Chestnut, 41, consumed 70 1/2 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes,
falling short of his 2021 record of 76 wieners and buns. It marked
the 17th win in 20 appearances for the Westfield, Indiana, eater at
the internationally televised competition, which he missed last year
over a contract dispute.
“I wish I ate a couple more. Sorry guys,” a smiling Chestnut told
the crowd, many chanting his name. “I’ll be back next year.”
Defending champion in the women’s division, Miki Sudo of Tampa,
Florida, won her 11th title, downing 33 dogs, besting a dozen
competitors. Last year, she ate a record 51 links. She also was
apologetic for her performance.
“I feel like I let the fans down a little bit. I heard people in the
crowd saying, ‘Go for 52,’” Sudo told ESPN. “Obviously, I’m always
setting my goals high, but the hot dogs weren’t cooperating. For
some reason, the buns felt larger today.”
A large crowd, peppered with foam hot dog hats, turned out to
witness the annual eat-a-thon, held outside the original Nathan’s
Famous restaurant in Coney Island, Brooklyn, since 1972. Many fans
showed up to see Chestnut’s much-awaited return to an event he has
called “a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture,
and a huge part of my life.”
Chestnut bested 14 fellow competitors from across the U.S. and the
world, including Australia, the Czech Republic, Ontario, England and
Brazil. Last year's winner, Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago, came in
second place after gobbling up 46 1/2 hot dogs and buns, falling
short of the 58 he ate to earn the 2024 men’s title.
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Competitive eater Miki Sudo raises a champion belt as she arrives at
the 2025 Nathan's Famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in
the Coney Island section of the Brooklyn borough of New York,
Thursday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
“I love being here,” Chestnut told ESPN after his
win. “As soon as I found out I was coming, my body — it was easy to
train. I love doing it. And love pushing myself and beating the heck
out of people.”
Last year, Major League Eating event organizer George Shea said
Chestnut would not be participating in the contest due to a contract
dispute. Chestnut had struck a deal with a competing brand, the
plant-based meat company Impossible Foods.
Chestnut told The Associated Press last month that he had never
appeared in any commercials for the company’s vegan hot dogs and
that Nathan’s is the only hot dog company he has worked with. But
Chestnut acknowledged he “should have made that more clear with
Nathan’s.”
Last year, Chestnut ate 57 dogs — in only five minutes — in an
exhibition with soldiers, at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. He said
that event was “amazing” and that he was pleased to still have a
chance to eat hot dogs — a lot of them — on July Fourth.
“I’m happy I did that, but I’m really happy to be back at Coney
Island,” he said.
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