Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest Crowns New Winner After Joey Chestnut's Conflict with Plant-Based Brand

With Joey Chestnut out of the competition, the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog-Eating Championship men's contest made room for a new winner.

Pat Bertoletti was officially crowned the hot dog eating champion after eating 58 hot dogs and buns within 10 minutes, a new personal record. Geoffrey Esper placed second with 43 hot dogs and buns.

For the women's competition, Miki Sudo, known as the Empress of Eating, took home the title. She ate 51 hot dogs and buns, setting a new women's record!

Mayoi Ebihar came in second with 37 hot dogs and buns, while Michelle Lesco placed third with 23.5.

The event took place on New York's Coney Island on Thursday, July 4, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Both the men's and women's competitions hold a $20,000 cash prize.

The men's competition has only had three champions since 2002: Chestnut, Matthew Stonie and Takeru Kobayashi. Previously, Chestnut had competed in every contest since 2007, winning from 2007 to 2014 and then from 2016 until 2023. He lost to Matt Stonie in 2015.

In 2023, Chestnut earned his 16th title, taking down 62 hot dogs. Geoffrey Esper placed second by eating 49, closely followed by Australian James Webb, who came in third with 47. 

On June 11, Major League Eating, the contest’s governing body, announced that Chestnut would not compete in the 2024 event due to his partnership with Impossible Foods. 

"We are devastated to learn that Joey Chestnut has chosen to represent a rival brand that sells plant-based hot dogs rather than competing in the 2024 Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest," Major League Eating said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE. 

Later that day, Chestnut shared an Instagram post expressing his disappointment and challenging Major League Eating’s claim that the contest's sponsorship rules were the same as in previous years.

“I love competing in that event, 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 wrote in the caption. “To set the record straight, I do not have a contract with MLE or Nathan's and they are looking to change the rules from past years as it relates to other partners I can work with.” 

In a statement to PEOPLE, an Impossible Foods spokesperson said: "We love Joey and support him in any contest he chooses. It's OK to experiment with a new dog. Meat eaters shouldn't have to be exclusive to just one wiener."

Chestnut is set to compete against his longtime rival Kobayashi, a six-time winner of Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest, in an all-beef hot dog eating contest titled Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef. The special will be broadcast live on Netflix on September 2.