Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi face off in Netflix’s hot dog contest.
Champion eater Joey Chestnut has been disqualified from the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest due to brand partnership exclusivity issues. However, fans can still watch the reigning champion take part in an exciting sausage-filled contest through a live-streamed Netflix special where he will go head-to-head against his biggest rival: Takeru Kobayashi.
Chestnut, hailing from California, holds the world record for consuming the most hot dogs, achieving an astonishing 76 hot dogs (with buns) in 10 minutes in 2021. This is just one of his 55 records in the realm of competitive eating. Kobayashi, on the other hand, boasts 10 world records in the sport.
The special, titled “Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef,” is set to stream on Labor Day, September 2, 2024, at an undisclosed location. This event aims to resolve a long-standing rivalry between the two; in fact, Chestnut referred to Kobayashi as his “fiercest rival” in a press release from Netflix.
Chestnut and Kobayashi are meeting for the first time in 15 years at the upcoming event.
Kobayashi reigned supreme in the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest from 2001 to 2006 until Chestnut claimed victory in 2007. Since then, Chestnut has emerged victorious in 16 out of the 17 years he has participated. However, the two have not faced each other since 2009 when Chestnut took the lead.
In May 2024, Kobayashi declared his retirement from competitive eating during the Netflix documentary “Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut,” expressing concerns over his health — a reasonable worry for someone who has consumed approximately 10,000 hot dogs professionally. Despite this, he seems eager for one final showdown. “Retirement for me will only happen after I take [Chestnut] down one last time,” Kobayashi shared with Netflix, mentioning that the live show will allow “fans all over the world to see me take him down.”
Chestnut also views Kobayashi as a source of inspiration alongside being a rival: “Competing against him motivated me to improve significantly,” he stated to the streaming service.
Now, 15 years after their last encounter, the duo will finally resolve their ongoing rivalry by diving into as many all-beef hot dogs as they can this Labor Day — marking the official end of hot dog season.
