Days before the competition, with fences still destroyed, Chestnut brought his skills to Fort Bliss, Texas, where he faced off against soldiers of the Army in a Fourth of July feast.
Chestnut consumed 57 hot dogs and buns, more than the combined total of four rivals, who consumed 49 hot dogs and buns.
Chestnut’s time of under five minutes almost surpassed the total of Pat Bertoletti, the man who had earlier on Thursday in New York won the renowned mustard belt. The newly crowned Nathan’s champion consumed 58 hot dogs, far short of the record.
Because of a sponsorship agreement with Impossible Foods, a company that specializes in plant-based meat substitutes, Chestnut was initially disqualified from the competition. Since then, Major League Eating has lifted the ban, but Chestnut chose to travel to Fort Bliss.
Simply put, a fantastic competitor, a nice guy, an adult, and a man who has chosen not to be present today,” Shea remarked. Tens of thousands of people are gathered around Nathan’s Famous, which is fortunate for us. It’s an annual journey. This audience is not paid Hollywood talent. This is thrilling.
