There’s a new top dog in town.
Patrick Bertoletti was crowned king of the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating contest in Coney Island on Thursday.
The feat marks the first time in 16 years that someone other than Joey Chestnut, the world’s top competitive eater, has taken the title.
Chestnut, better known as “Jaws,” was banned from this year’s beef-eating competition in dramatic fashion after he cut a deal with rival brand, Impossible Foods, which is famous for its meatless Impossible Burger.
Major League Eating, which Nathan’s sanctions to run the event, insisted Chestnut had been aware of the hot dog exclusivity provisions for the nearly two decades he’s been scarfing down record-breaking franks.
“Joey was not banned. Joey chose not to compete in the contest the moment he chose to make an endorsement deal with one of Nathan’s competitors,” a rep said when the controversy first broke.
After holding out hope he’d be allowed to compete, a “devastated” Chestnut said he set to take his hot dog-downing talents to the Fort Bliss army base in El Paso, Texas, to compete against soldiers this Independence Day instead.
Ranked No. 1 in the world of competitive eaters by Major League Eating, Chesnut had won all but one of Nathan’s hot dog eating contests since 2007.
Last year, Chestnut won the Coney Island competition by eating 62 dogs in 10 minutes. In 2021, he set a record by scarfing down 71 links.