Competitive eating champion Joey Chestnut will miss the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest due to a conflict involving brand partnerships. However, fans can still catch the world champion in an alternate sausage showdown live-streamed on Netflix where he will take on his greatest rival: Takeru Kobayashi.
California’s Chestnut holds the record for the most hot dogs consumed, achieved by eating an astonishing 76 dogs (with buns) in just 10 minutes in 2021. This record is part of his collection of 55 world records in competitive eating. Kobayashi, on the other hand, has established 10 world records in this arena.
The special event titled “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef” is set to stream on Labor Day, September 2, 2024, at an undisclosed location. The goal is to resolve a long-standing rivalry between the two, with Chestnut referring to Kobayashi as his “fiercest rival” in a Netflix press release.
Chestnut and Kobayashi will compete for the first time in 15 years in this thrilling contest.
Takeru Kobayashi was the champion of the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest from 2001 to 2006 until Joey Chestnut secured his first title in 2007. Since that victory, Chestnut has triumphed in 16 out of 17 years of competition. However, the two haven’t faced off in a competition since 2009 when Chestnut took the title.
In May 2024, Kobayashi announced his retirement from competitive eating during the Netflix documentary “Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut,” expressing concerns about his health, which is understandable after consuming approximately 10,000 hot dogs in his career. Nevertheless, he seems eager for one final match, stating, “Retiring for me will only happen after I take [Chestnut] down one last time,” while adding that the live show allows “fans all over the world to watch me knock him out.”
Chestnut regards Kobayashi not only as a rival but also as a source of inspiration: “Competing against him pushed me to be so much better,” he shared with the streaming service.
Now, 15 years after their last encounter, they’ll finally settle their lingering rivalry as they chow down on as many all-beef hot dogs as possible on Labor Day, marking the formal end of hot dog season.