World champion competitive eater Joey Chestnut traded hotdogs in for kolaches during an eating contest in Cedar Rapids Sunday.
World champion competitive eater Joey Chestnut traded hotdogs in for kolaches during an eating contest in Cedar Rapids Sunday.
The contest took place at Veterans Memorial Stadium right after the Kernels game, which saw Chestnut put down 25 kolaches. Hours before the competition Chestnut held a meet-and-greet with fans.
Baseball fans and competitive eating there's great overlap," Chestnut told Iowa's News Now. "We just talk about food and talk about baseball. It's always a good time.
Some people who met Chestnut have followed his journey for years.
"[I] watched him out in New York in 2012 and 2018," Cody Vandee said.
Howard Samek said he watches "the hotdog contest every Fourth of July."
Chestnut also has a history with the pastry prior to his win Sunday.
I hold the record in Texas for breakfast kolaches with sausage," Chestnut said. "I'm just going to find a rhythm, find my happy place and put them down.
Chestnut said he "ate really light" the day before and ate "nothing the day of" to prepare.
"Woke up really early," Chestnut added. "Drank a gallon of water. Did my yoga."
After finishing all the kolaches Chestnut said worst case scenario "I'll have a little sugar headache."
"I'll be a little bit bloated. I'll have crazy dreams," Chestnut said. "Shouldn't be too bad."
Cedar Rapids resident Devon Schwering won a qualifier to be in the competition.
There isn't one when you go against the best eater," Schwering said when asked what his strategy was going into the contest. "You just gotta give it your best and at the end of the day see how it turns out.
Chestnut said it has been years since he lasted competed in Iowa, which took place in Iowa City, and was happy to be back.
