There was quite a fuss when it was announced Joey Chestnut would not compete in New York’s top hot dog eating contest at Nathan’s this June. His partnership with Impossible Foods was cited as the reason he couldn’t enter, leaving Chestnut “gutted”.

Sensing an opportunity, Netflix snaffled Chestnut – a 16-time Nathan’s champ – for a contest of its own. It pitted him against six-time winner Takeru Kobayashi for Chestnut vs Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef (live 2 September, available now).

It’s more than just a pun title: the scoffers’ rivalry is real, made evident by the 70-minute show’s opening montage of pure trash talk. “I want to kick his ass,” Kobayashi confirmed. And well he might: Netflix put up $100k for the winner – 10 times the amount Nathan’s champs receive.

Rob Riggle and Nikki Garcia hosted at the Hyper X Arena in Las Vegas, building the tension to chow time much like a boxing broadcast would. We met the commentators, got the stats and saw the competitors psyching themselves up.

The pundits’ babble was banal, but Chestnut and Kobayashi proved surprisingly interesting in their respective VTs, offering a glimpse into the psychology of the competitive eater. They both looked surprisingly fit, too.

So far, so slick – but the actual (gruelling, 10-minute) eating part was hard to stomach. The sweat, the drool, the glazed eyes, the sheer waste… it’s a spectacle, for sure – but it’s inarguably a disgusting one.

Still, both competitors set personal bests, with the winner (we won’t spoil it) bagging a new world record. Netflix will be thrilled.

 

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