The coveted Mustard Belt is getting a new home with the absence of fan-favorite Joey Chestnut © Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
(New York, NY) – Nathan’s Famous Mustard Belt has a new home. The annual Major League Eating competition out of Coney Island saw plenty of competitors and spectators, however one major name was missing – the 16-time champion, Joey “Jaws” Chestnut. He was booted from the competition due to a partnership with a plant-based food brand.
This year, it was a man from Illinois that ended up taking home the big prize and fullest stomach. Patrick “Deep Dish” Bertoletti downed 58 hot dogs and buns in his win. The top 14 male competitors consumed a combined total of over 544 dogs.
For the women’s side, Miki Sudo defended her title as the top female eater. Sudo has won the showdown 10 times now and even broke records with 51 franks, becoming the first woman to get past 50 hotdogs.
Joey Chestnut will be part of a different televised eating competition that is taking place towards the end of the summer. On Labor Day, Chestnut and fellow name in competitive eating Takeru Kobayashi, will face off in a special hot dog eating contest that will be streamed on Netflix.
