Who is Joey Chestnut? What to know about the hot dog eating champ kept out of 2024 contest

Waves were made in the competitive eating world this week after the announcement that longtime champion Joey Chestnut will not participate in this year's Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest on the Fourth of July.

Chestnut has won the iconic and uniquely American competition every year since 2007 (barring one year when he was out eaten by Matt Stonie), and has continued to break his own records in the years since.

But Chestnut will not be at this year's competition, amidst a dispute with Major League Eating over a sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, a brand that sells meat substitutes.

Here's what to know about Joey Chestnut.

Major League Eating: Joey Chestnut will not compete at 2024 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest

Who is Joey Chestnut?

Joey Chestnut is a 40-year-old American competitive eater who was ranked first in the world this year by Major League Eating.

He has participated, and won, the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest nearly every year since 2007, and has broken records in a number of food categories, including chicken fingers, popcorn, pizza, pork roll sandwiches and Big Macs.

Joey Chestnut's eating records

In 2023, Chestnut ate 63 hot dogs in 10 minutes, winning the annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest. The second place finisher, Geoffrey Esper, ate 49 hot dogs.

Here are just a few of the other food world records that Chestnut has broken, per his website:

• 2009: 5.9 pounds of funnel cake in 10 minutes

• 2012: 7.61 pounds of Buffalo chicken wings in 12 minutes

• 2013: 4.375 3-pound apple pies in 8 minutes

• 2015: 15 16-ounce bowls of gumbo in 8 minutes

• 2016: 14.5 pounds of burritos in 10 minutes

• 2017: 55 glazed donuts in 8 minutes

• 2017: 25.25 Baked Bear Ice-Cream Sandwiches in 6 minutes

• 2017: 52 cheeseburgers in 10 minutes

• 2021: 76 Nathan's hot dogs in 10 minutes at Coney Island, New York.

Is Joey Chestnut banned from the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest?

The MLE indicated Chestnut would be able to return to the hot dog eating contest if he were to stop his partnership with Impossible Foods.

"For nearly two decades we have worked under the same basic hot dog exclusivity provisions. However, it seems that Joey and his managers have prioritized a new partnership with a different brand over our long-time relationship," MLE said in a statement.

In a post on X, Chestnut said he was "gutted" to learn that he will not participate in this year's hot dog eating contest.

"I love competing in that event, I love celebrating America with all my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title," Chestnut wrote in the post.

He added that "rest assured," fans will "see me eat again soon."

Social media reactions to Joey Chestnut not participating in the hot dog eating contest

Contributing: Joe Rivera, USA TODAY.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Joey Chestnut? Champ kept out of 2024 hot dog eating contest