‘Gutted’: champion eater Joey Chestnut excluded from New York hotdog-eating contest

Nathan's Famous, sponsor of event, had no stomach for Chestnut's sponsorship by plant-based meat company

America's top professional eater, Joey Chestnut, has been excluded from entering New York City's annual hotdog eating competition after he signed a deal with a plant-based meat company.

Chestnut, 40, the defending champion, said on X that he was gutted to learn from the media that after 19 years" he had been banned" from the competition, held every summer on Independence Day at Nathan's Famous original hotdog outlet in Coney Island. I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title," he added.