Joey Chestnut Reveals Where He Stands With Nathan’s Months After Shocking Ban

Joey Chestnut is speaking out once again on his shocking ban from the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, a decision that stunned fans and reshaped one of America’s most iconic holiday traditions.

In an exclusive interview with The Blast, the 16-time champion opened up about the dramatic fallout with Major League Eating (MLE), which occurred after Chestnut partnered with Impossible Foods, the plant-based brand behind a new vegan hot dog.

“I really didn’t think my relationship with Impossible would affect anything with Nathan’s,” Chestnut admitted. “It didn’t go against any of my previous agreements.”

Chestnut explained that his collaboration with Impossible was meant to promote Meatless Mondays, encouraging people who occasionally skip meat to explore plant-based alternatives. “I eat more meat than anybody,” he said with a laugh. “But even I take a break on Mondays. And sometimes I still want something that tastes like meat, so that’s where plant-based comes in.”

Despite the partnership having nothing to do with the annual Fourth of July competition directly, MLE took issue with the move, ultimately leading to Chestnut’s exclusion from the contest he's headlined for over a decade.

“I was really surprised they took offense to that,” he said. “It was for Mondays, for people who aren’t even eating meat. I still don’t know exactly where our relationship stands.”

As for whether he'd ever return to the Coney Island stage if invited back, Chestnut didn’t rule it out.

“If they came back with similar terms we were talking about last year, I would definitely consider it,” he said. “I’d work with them to make sure there weren’t any conflicts with other sponsors… But honestly, I don’t think they want to go down that route. And yeah, it’s a bummer. I love that contest.”

Though his future with Nathan’s remains uncertain, Chestnut continues to dominate the competitive eating scene, and fans haven’t seen the last of him yet.

While his absence from the Coney Island stage marked a major shift in the holiday tradition, the reigning eating champ has kept his competitive edge sharp with a full plate of high-profile appearances and new challenges.

This past Independence Day, Chestnut went head-to-head with U.S. soldiers during the annual “Pop Goes the Fort” celebration at Fort Bliss, bringing his signature intensity and crowd-pleasing energy to the patriotic showdown.

Earlier in the year, he made waves at the Third Annual Siegel’s Bagelmania World Bagel Eating Championship in Las Vegas, adding yet another quirky food feat to his growing list of accomplishments.

Now, the 16-time Nathan’s champion is preparing for his next big challenge: popcorn.

Teaming up with Rural King, Chestnut will attempt to set a new world record by devouring as much popcorn as possible in just eight minutes. The event celebrates the brand’s nostalgic tradition of offering free in-store popcorn to customers, this time, with a competitive twist.

And for those wondering what happens when he’s not competing, Joey Chestnut admits he still craves some good Mexican food, a juicy steak, or, if he’s been sticking to his diet, a hearty plate of pasta, especially carbonara.

"I've learned that I don't have to be married to one food," he told The Blast.

Joey Chestnut currently holds more than 55 world records in competitive eating, making him the most decorated eater in the sport’s history.

Chestnut gained national attention in 2007 when he defeated six-time champion Takeru Kobayashi at Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, ending the Japanese competitor’s reign and kicking off his own.

Since then, he’s won the contest 16 times, setting and breaking his own records, most notably eating 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes in 2021.

But his dominance doesn't stop there.

Chestnut has devoured 182 chicken wings in 30 minutes, 141 hard-boiled eggs in just 8 minutes, and 47 grilled cheese sandwiches in 10 minutes. He’s also made waves with non-traditional challenges, like eating 32 servings of popcorn (each weighing 24 ounces) and smashing shrimp cocktail, bratwurst, and taco records.

His unmatched ability to consume massive quantities of food across a wide range of categories has cemented his status as a living legend in the world of competitive eating.