Joey Chestnut, the perennial champion of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, made headlines last year when a falling-out with the event’s organizers led to his being barred from competing, shocking fans nationwide.
But on this sweltering Fourth of July, outside the Nathan’s flagship restaurant at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island, Mr. Chestnut, 41, returned to the men’s division of the competition with a vengeance, and spectators were riveted as he devoured 70.5 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
Though he didn’t beat his personal best of 76, Mr. Chestnut easily outmatched last year’s champion, Patrick Bertoletti, 40, who consumed only 46.5 hot dogs.
Mr. Chestnut pumped his fist in the air in triumph. When asked how he felt about returning to the throne he had held for 16 years, Mr. Chestnut said, “I love being here.” He assured the crowd, “I’ll be back next year.”
Temperatures reached the high 80s as the sun beat down on the midday competition, making conditions less than ideal for record-breaking. It was also a rough day for Miki Sudo, the reigning champion of the women’s division, who has 11 victories under her belt. She won handily with 33 hot dogs but fell short of her record of 51, which she set last year.
Ms. Sudo, 39, conceded that she had not been feeling her best and attributed her performance to the buns’ being “more doughy than usual.”
“It’s OK,” she said. “A win is a win.”
Mr. Chestnut was barred from last year’s competition after he entered an endorsement deal with a Nathan’s rival, Impossible Foods, which makes vegan hot dogs.
George Shea, the contest’s boisterous M.C., told The New York Times that year that Major League Eating, the self-proclaimed “governing body of all stomach-centric sports” that oversees the event, had no choice but to part ways with Mr. Chestnut.
But Mr. Shea said that the organizers had “never stopped talking” with Mr. Chestnut, and the dispute was resolved in time for this year’s contest. A spokesman for Major League Eating said the organization was “really excited to have him back,” calling his return “a great success.”
Mr. Shea said he was ecstatic that Mr. Chestnut had returned to the competition, calling him “shy of a god, perhaps, but more than a man.”
As it became apparent on Friday that Mr. Bertoletti — who ate 58 hot dogs last year — would not catch up to Mr. Chestnut, Mr. Shea declared, “Joey Chestnut is here to make a statement.”
When Mr. Chestnut began to slow down his bites, Mr. Shea goaded him for not being able to meet his previous record.
“An incredible performance, but he doesn’t have the time,” Mr. Shea said when there were still four minutes left in the contest. “No human can do it.”
The contest has been held by Nathan’s since the early 1970s — contrary to urban legend and P.R. narrative, which claims it started in 1916 when Nathan Handwerker, the company’s founder, opened a stand at the corner of Stillwell and Surf.
Though Mr. Bertoletti and other competitors showed up on Friday intent on surpassing their rival, all eyes seemed to be on Mr. Chestnut. But one Brooklyn resident, Paul Calienes, was not especially impressed by his return.
“I’ve been here way longer than Joey,” said Mr. Calienes, 58, standing near the bus that had driven the contestants to the contest, wearing a star-spangled outfit. He has attended the contest since 1996, he said.
He added that it was “messed up” that Mr. Chestnut could not participate last year.
“Joey Chestnut is going to get his title back,” Mr. Calienes said. “Unless Bertoletti gets his stomach pumped, or something.”
Taylor Robinson is a Times reporter covering the New York City metro area.
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