The winners of this year’s famous Nathan’s International Hot Dog Eating Contest are letting all the glory go to them.
On July 5, Patrick Bertoletti, who won the men’s title, and Miki Sudo, the women’s titleholder, both appeared at TODAY Plaza to continue celebrating after the July 4 event. During the competition, Bertoletti crushed 58 hot dogs, while Sudo broke the women’s record she had previously set by eating 51 hot dogs.
When asked by TODAY’s Craig Melvin if there was a strategy to entering the hot dog eating contest, Bertoletti explained that it was due to “bad genetics” but also a love of food.
“I don’t have to chew my food and I’m from Chicago, which is a hot dog town,” Bertoletti joked. “Nathan’s hot dogs are delicious, and I wouldn’t be here on the Fourth of July if I didn’t eat them.”
He joked that the coveted mustard belt, which was slung over his shoulder, did not fit him “as well as it did before the competition.”
While this is the first time Bertoletti has spoken about her victory on the square, Sudo is no stranger to reflecting on the day with the TODAY co-anchors: This is her 10th time winning the women’s title at Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest.
Sudo’s husband, Nick Wehry, another competitive eater, and their son, Max, joined her to celebrate her success on TODAY Square. Sudo said that “behind every little success” she’s had, “there’s so much support in the background.”
On July 4, Bertoletti officially took the title from reigning champion Joey Chestnut, who had previously been crowned the winner of the annual competition 16 times. Chestnut had indicated on social media in June that he would not be competing in this year’s event.
When asked if Chestnut’s absence was felt during this year’s hot dog eating contest, Bertoletti told TODAY it was “a little weird.”
“I’m a good friend of his and we started eating together 18 years ago, so he wasn’t there, someone had to step in to do it, and I’m not complaining,” Bertoletti said.
During the July 4 competition, which lasted 10 minutes after announcer George Shea welcomed each competitor to the stage, the mustard sash was placed around a new winner of the men’s division for the first time in eight years.
Shea raised Bertoletti’s arm in victory and held the shiny belt above his head. His performance marked his first career title.
ESPN commentators called it the closest contest since 2015.
Bertoletti came into the event ranked No. 9 in the world. “I was focused today,” he told Shea. “I wasn’t going to stop eating until I got the job done.”
He then said he felt like a bridesmaid who finally became a bride. The competitive eater said it took him three months of practice and he couldn’t believe he had achieved it.
“There was an emergency. Since Joey wasn’t there, I knew I had a chance,” he shared. “I was able to unlock something. I don’t know where it came from, but I’m not complaining.”
Bertoletti said it was a life-changing moment for him.
In the women’s competition, Sudo retained her crown, bringing her total wins to 10. Sudo is currently ranked No. 1 among competitive eaters.
Coney Island fans were left speechless as Bertoletti and Sudo devoured an impressive number of hot dogs in just 10 minutes.
Bertoletti managed to eat 58, her personal best, while Sudo wasn’t too far behind with a record-breaking 51 hot dogs and buns. Sudo also broke her personal (and world) record of 48.5 hot dogs, which she set in 2020.
“The 50-hot dog threshold has been exceeded,” an ESPN commentator said in a clip uploaded to X as the clock ticked down. Another commentator wondered if Sudo could potentially compete in the men’s division in the future.
An hour after his victory, Sudo spoke about his historic performance.
“Even after 10 years, I still have a lot to show,” she said. “The women’s track record will only get better from here and there are a lot of exciting things to come.”
When asked what she wanted to eat now, she replied: “I’ll probably go for something cold and refreshing. Maybe a piece of fruit (or) soft serve ice cream.”
Sudo dominated the competition and won the ketchup belt again, followed by second-place finisher Mayoi Ebihara, who ate 37 hot dogs. Ebihara also finished second last year in her debut at the competition.
Last year, 35,000 spectators, according to the American Hot Dog Society, gathered at Coney Island to watch Sudo and Chestnut reclaim their titles. Sudo ate 39.5 hot dogs at the time and Chestnut, the current No. 1 competitive eater, managed to gobble down 62 hot dogs in just 10 minutes.
While fans were excited to see this year’s winners, Chestnut’s absence from the annual event was notable. The former titleholder, who set the all-time record with a 76 in 2021, said he was not allowed to compete in the contest because he was “banned” from the event after allegedly partnering with a rival brand to Nathan’s Famous.
“I was very disappointed to learn today from the media that after almost 20 years, I am banned from Nathan’s 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest,” he wrote on Instagram at the time. “I love participating in this event, I love celebrating America with my fans all across this great country on the 4th of July and I have been training to defend my title.”
In response to the competitive eater’s claims that he was “banned,” Major League Eating (MLE) told TODAY.com in a statement that this was not accurate.
“There’s no ban. Major League Eating wants it there. The fans want it there. Nathan’s wants it there,” said Richard Shea, co-founder of MLE.
MLE also sent TODAY.com a statement that read, in part, “We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than compete in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest.”
During the July 4 broadcast, commentators repeatedly pointed out that it was Chestnut’s “choice” not to compete this year, comparing Chestnut’s split with Nathan’s Hot Dogs to the breakup of the Beatles. His last win in the contest was last year, in 2023.
The show also highlighted that there was an upset when Chestnut was defeated by Matt Stonie in 2015.
Before the competition began, ESPN paid tribute to Chestnut and dubbed him “the Babe Ruth of beef” among other titles.
While he didn’t compete at Nathan’s Famous, fans of competitive eating will still be able to enjoy the spectacle of Chestnut gobbling down hot dogs on Independence Day. Chestnut chose to compete against soldiers from Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, in a five-minute hot dog eating event, which was previously reported by The Associated Press on June 27.
The annual July 4 event, called “Pop Goes the Fort,” will also feature a fireworks display and performances by the El Paso Symphony Orchestra and the 1st Armored Division Band.
CORRECTION (July 5, 2024, 10:10 a.m. ET): An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated when Chestnut last won the Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest. His last win was in 2023, not 2015.