Chow Down for the Crown …

Johnny-on-the-Spot …; by John Foster …

The 2025 Nathan’s Hot Dog Easting Contest went to Joey Chestnut.

Again.

This year, he forced down 70 and 1/2 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.

“Jaws” fell short of his all-time record for the event, 76 hot dogs and buns, in 2021.

It’s the 17th time he won the “gulp-a-thon”.

The second place finisher ended with two dozen fewer sandwiches choked down.

The women’s division was one by Miki Sudo who forced down 33 hot dogs and buns in the allotted 10 minute time limit.

She would have eaten more but she said she thought the “buns were more filling” this year.

It was Miki’s 11th win in the past 12 years.

She missed one year because she was pregnant.

Chestnut was born in Fulton County, Kentucky and he started this competitive eating drive in 2005.

With endorsements and such, he’s reportedly worth more than $4M.

In 2018, he launched a line of condiments including Deli Style Picnic Mustard , Spicy Brown Firecracker Mustard and Classic Boardwalk Coney Sauce.

His big claim to fame has to be the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog-Eating Contest, held on Independence Day on Coney Island, New York.

He must train, right?

Right!

He does that by fasting and stretching his stomach with milk, water and protein supplements.

He prefers milk from Andes mountain goats which is high in calcium.

Prior to the Nathan’s event, Chestnut trains by cooking 40 hot dogs at home an eating them while slowly working up to the amount he thinks he’ll need to win.

Chestnut says it’s not about eating; it’s all about drive and dedication.

He’s quite serious about the hot dog event.

Case in point, he won the 2022 event by downing 63 hot dogs and buns when a protestor interrupted the proceedings and Chestnut subdued him with a chokehold.

The Westport, Indiana resident started competitive eating in 2005 when he consumed 6.3 pounds of asparagus in 11 and 1/2 minutes. In 2014, he established a new asparagus eating mark of 12 pounds 8 and 3/4 ounces, deep-fried, in 10 minutes,

That same year (2005) he wolfed down 32and 1/2 grilled cheese sandwiches, won the Waffle House waffle eating title, finished 2nd in the world hamburger eating competition and came in 3rd in his first Nathan’s hot dog contest.

(Speaking of waffles, in 2019, Joey ate 81 Eggo waffles in in 8 minutes. Were they thawed?)

Chestnut devoured 257 Hostess Donettes in 6 minutes, 182 chicken wings in 30 minutes, 141 hard-boiled eggs in 8 minutes, 121 Twinkies in a mere 6 minutes, 118 Jalapeno “poppers” in 10 minutes, 103 Krystal burgers in 8 minutes and 102 tamales in 12 minutes.

He also does dessert.

Almost 4 and 1/2 ,three pound cherry pies in 8 minutes (2013), 15.5 pounds of cherry pie and 23.5 ice cream sandwiches in just 6 minutes.

I’ve been involved in a few eating contests over the years (hot dogs and pies) and the worst are the pies with your hands tied behind your back.

What a mess!

I could never keep up with Joey but his menu items are tolerable.

During the COVID-19 scourge, Chestnut put away 10 cups of Ramen noodles.

(I’m assuming they weren’t dry.)

He even went to Walter “Radar” O’Reilly’s home of Ottumwa, Iowa to chow down 28.5 canteen sandwiches in 2018.

(They’re supposed to be a loose, ground beef sandwich, sort of like a sloppy Joe perhaps or a GOM sandwich at Zaharako’s in Columbus, Indiana.)

What about Don Lehman who ate 28 ounces of butter in 5 minutes (2002)?

Oleg Zhornitskey gulped down one gallon (128 ounces) of mayonnaise in 8 minutes (2017).

Matt Stonie is credited with eating 255 marshmallow Peeps (&,140 calories) in just 5 minutes (2017).

But Ken Edwards ate 36 live cockroaches in 60 seconds in 2001.

No thank you.

I don’t even do chocolate-covered ants.

Competitive-eating is most-popular in the United States, Canada and Japan.

Some competitive eaters may vomit, hurl, spew, ralph, upchuck, throw up or blow lunch after competitions ,but most serious ones don’t because they’ve expanded their stomachs through training.

Joey Chestnut trains.

He has to if he can consume 15-16 ounce bowls of Gumbo (almost 2 gallons!) in just 8 minutes.

Pardon me while I burp.