All eyes will be on competitive eater Joey Chestnut Monday as he tries to beat his personal record in the Nathan’s Fourth of July Hot dog eating contest.

“I do practice contests leading up to the contest and I start fasting tomorrow to make sure I’m nice and empty for the contest Monday, so yeah, I’ll be hungry,” Chestnut said.

What You Need To Know

  • Joey Chestnut has won the hot dog competition 14 times

  • He ate 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes last year

  • The event will be held at Nathan’s flagship after being held in other locations because of the pandemic

Chestnut has won the competition 14 times and last year he ate 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes — a personal best. He joined female champions, Miki Sudo and Michelle Lesco, as well as other contestants at a weigh-in at Hudson Yards Friday.

“In 2020, we had the socially distanced event. In 2021, I say because I was pregnant so it’s been a while since I’ve eaten hot dogs in front of a Coney crowd so I couldn’t be more thrilled to be here,” Sudo said.

The contest has been around since 1916. The event is held at Nathan’s flagship on Surf and Stillwell Avenue in Coney Island.

The venue was changed the last two years because of the pandemic. But this year, it will be back at Nathan’s and organizers say they’re expecting tens of thousands of people to line the streets.

Five-time competitor and New Jersey schools superintendent, Rene Rovtar, says competing is not only fun but a great lesson to bring back to her students.

“This was a teachable moment for me with the kids in the district and that you can do things that are fun. You don’t always have to win. And I think that we live in a very competitive society. So to be able to kind of step away from that and to do something that it’s just fun is a good thing for everybody,” Rovtar said.

She says her personal best is eight and three quarters and always looking to do better. After all the hot dog eating, she has a different feeling towards the food.

“We go home and have the July 4th cookout. I’m taking a pass on the hot dogs,” Rovtar said.

Chestnut will compete with a leg injury this year, but he says that will not affect his eating abilities to chow down as many hot dogs as possible in just 10 minutes while he competes for his 15 mustard belt.