A new Nathan's Hot Dog Eating champion has been crowned.
In the absence of 16-time champion Joey Chestnut, the 2024 contest came down to the wire in a head-to-head battle between Pat Bertoletti and Geoffrey Esper. Fans needed to wait until the official count to know which Major League Eating contestant would claim the title in the annual Fourth of July event.
Bertoletti came away with the crown, scarfing down 58 hot dogs and buns to Esper's 53. He joined Chestnut, Takeru Kobayashi and Matt Stonie as the only four contestants to hoist the mustard belt since 2001.
Those unfamiliar with MLE are unlikely to know much about the hot dog-eating champion. Sporting News has you covered with everything you need to know about Bertoletti.
MORE: Why Joey Chestnut was not at the 2024 hot dog eating contest
Who is Pat Bertoletti?
Bertoletti is the No. 9 ranked competitive eater in the world, per MLE's rankings. He also holds more competitive eating world records than anyone else in the world, according to his MLE profile.
His competitive eating career began with mostly sweet foods, though he has progressed to eating a variety of other types of food over the years. He has been competing since 2004, according to Food Challenge News.
Over the years, the Chicago native, nicknamed "Deep Dish," has long surrounded himself with food. He was a catering chef at Jewel Catering from 2006 to 2014, then became the "head lion tamer and chef" at Chicago restaurant Taco In A Bag, according to his LinkedIn page.
He became popular on his YouTube channel, which he launched in 2007. He picked up popularity and began to appear on different TV shows as he gained popularity, going on shows like "You & Me" and "America's Got Talent."
Bertoletti took time away from eating, according to Food Challenge News, but returned for the Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2022.
Pat Bertoletti records
Bertoletti holds a number of world eating records.
Here's a look at the records he holds, according to MLE:
| Food | Record |
| Corned beef & cabbage | 10.63 lbs in 10 minutes (2007) |
| Pancakes | 50 3.25oz pancakes in 10 minutes (2012) |
| Date nut bread | 29.5 date nut breads in 10 minutes (2006) |
| Kolaches | 40 kolaches in 8 minutes (2006) |
| 16" pizza | 47 slices in 10 minutes (2008) |
| Blueberry pie (hands free) | 9.17 lbs in 8 minutes (2007) |
| Grits | 21 lbs in 10 minutes (2007) |
| Chocolate | 1 lb, 15.5 oz in 7 minutes (2006) |
| Key lime pie | 10.8 lbs in 8 minutes (2006) |
| Pepperoni with cheese | 252 slices (2.25 lbs) in 6 minutes (2011) |
| Jalapenos, pickled, short-form | 191 peppers in 6.5 minutes (2007) |
| King Cake | 14 cakes (10.5 lbs) in 8 minutes (2010) |
| Catfish | 7.5 lbs in 10 minutes |
| Maid-Rite sandwiches | 26 maid-rite sandwiches in 10 minutes (2010) |
| Posole | 9 lbs, 3 oz in 12 minutes (2006) |
| Boneless buffalo wings | 9 lbs in 10 minutes (2011) |
| Shoo-Fly pie | 11.1 lbs in 8 minutes (2007) |
| Donuts, cream-filled | 47 glazed and cream-filled donuts in 5 minutes (2007) |
| Waffles | 29 8 oz waffles in 10 minutes (2007) |
| Jalapenos, pickled | 275 jalapenos in 8 minutes (2011) |
| Pickles, sour | 5 lbs, 11.2 oz in 6 minutes (2010) |
| Turkey (whole), short form | 6.91 lbs in 8 minutes (2007) |
| Oysters, short form | 39 dozen oysters in 8 minutes (2011) |
| Rocky mountain oysters | 3 lbs, 11.75 oz in 10 minutes (2010) |
| Cupcakes | 72 cupcakes in 6 minutes (2012) |
| XXX Hot Bhut Wings | 52 wings in 5 minutes (2011) |
| Peanut butter & jelly sandwiches | 42 PB&J sandwiches in 10 minutes (1007) |
| 7-Eleven Sports Slurpee | 22 oz in 9 seconds (2010) |
| Baby back ribs (short form) | 5.24 lbs in 8 minutes (2011) |
| Strawberry rhubarb pie | 7.9 lbs in 8 minutes (2006) |
| Deep-fried calamari | 6.625 lbs in 10 minutes (2009) |
| Cheese curds | 5 lb, 2 oz in 6 minutes (2018) |
| Mars Bars | 38 Mars Bars in 5 minutes (2010) |
