Joey Chestnut And Takeru Kobayashi's Netflix Hotdog Showdown Will Have One Big New Rule - Exclusive

This year, legendary hot dog eating champion Joey Chestnut did not participate in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest due to his sponsorship deal with Impossible Foods, which violated a brand exclusivity clause in the contest's rules. This undoubtedly disappointed fans ready to watch him pummel a pile of hot dogs, but it paved the way for a new champion, Pat Bertoletti, to take the spotlight. 

Chestnut still holds the record for eating the most hot dogs in 10 minutes (76, to be exact), but fans don't have to be disappointed for much longer. On September 2, Chestnut and his former Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest rival Takeru Kobayashi, whom Chestnut dethroned in 2007, will be facing off in a live hot dog eating contest on Netflix. The showdown is called "Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef." Chestnut is currently promoting a partnership between Pepsi and Instacart for National Hot Dog Day, which is on July 17. 

The Takeout was able to speak to Chestnut in an exclusive interview via Zoom call, and we asked him about some of the things we can expect from the live competition on September 2. One key rule remains the same: The contest will still be 10 minutes. But there are a few differences that will change the way the game is played. One of them is that the contestants need to eat both the hot dog and the bun all in one go — as opposed to being able to remove the frank and dunk the bun in water, as they've previously been able to do in the Nathan's Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest. 

While the contest's time limit of 10 minutes isn't changing, a few key things are. First of all, the hot dogs involved in the contest are unbranded, unlike the ones in the Nathan's Famous competition, which must, of course, be Nathan's. Another key detail that's different for the Netflix contest is that the hot dogs will be kept warm for the competitors; Chestnut explained that Nathan's Hot Dogs tend to be cold and rubbery by the time contestants receive them. But the next one's the huge one: "There's a big rule change," Chestnut said. "This is the thing that is going to change everything. It's a no dunking contest. We're eating the hot dogs and buns as one." 

That's a big deal because during the Nathan's contest, contestants are allowed to submerge the hot dog buns in water separately from the hot dog itself, which gives them the benefit of being able to swallow the bread relatively easily thanks to the added liquid. Chestnut explained, "It's so different because when you dunk the bun in water, all the air comes out, and you feel it when you're dunking. I use that as a sip of water." 

That new rule means Chestnut has to change his strategy during test runs. "You can't just eat the meat, then bun, you're eating them as one," he said. "I've already started practicing. I'm getting my rhythm down, how I'm standing, the right size bites. It's so obvious when I swallow the dry bun I'm taking in more air."

The small amounts of air add up when you're aiming to slam down north of 70 hot dogs in seven minutes. "I have to sneak out these burps in the middle. It's so different." When asked whether or not that would slow him down, he replied, "It's definitely going to slow us [Chestnut and Kobayashi] down a little bit." But the fact that the Netflix competition will keep the hot dogs at a proper temperature might offset that problem.

"For this contest, they're going to be really fresh and warm, not in steamer boxes, but they're going to be kept in perfect condition," he noted. "And they're going to make sure we have the best hot dogs to eat."

Who knows how many calories Chestnut will consume for Netflix, but his tastes when he's off the clock are a bit more restrained. I asked Chestnut what his favorite soda was to drink with hot dogs in a casual setting, and without hesitation, he declared, "Pepsi Zero Sugar Wild Cherry. I leave all my calories on the food."

Pepsi and Instacart are partnering to celebrate National Hot Dog Day (July 17). From July 13 to 20 (while supplies last), Instacart customers can save $5 when they spend $20 on Pepsi and other eligible grilling items.