A 16-time hot dog eating champion says he has been banned from a New York contest after signing a deal with a vegan food company. Joey 'Jaws' Chestnut, 40, is the reigning champion of the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest, having won all but one of the competitions every year since 2007. In the 2021 contest, he ate 76 hot dogs and buns in just 10 minutes, one of 55 competitive eating world records he holds.
However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different hot dog brand over our long-time relationship.' Chestnut has disputed the claims, and said while he was 'gutted' to miss out, he was not responsible for skipping this year's event. 'I do not have a contract with MLE or Nathans and they are looking to change the rules from past years as it relates to other partners I can work with,' he said on social media.