Food eating contests around the world

History[edit]

Pie-eating contest at the Jefferson School in Washington, D.C., August 2, 1923
The first recorded pie eating contest took place in Toronto in 1878. It was organised as a charity fundraising event and won by Albert Piddington. It is not known how many pies were consumed. The prize was a “Handsomely Bound Book”.^[1] Following this, eating contests – particularly those involving pie – became popular across Canada and the United States, traditionally at county fairs.
There are some notable examples of early eating contestants, such as Joe McCarthy, who consumed 31 pies in a competition held at Charles Tanby's Saloon in 1897.^[1] Frank Dotzler is also noteworthy after consuming “275 oysters, 8 & 1/8th pounds of steak, 12 rolls, and 3 large pies, all washed down with 11 cups of coffee” at an event organised by the Manhattan Fat Men's Club in 1909.^[2]
The recent surge in the popularity of competitive eating is due in large part to the development of the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, an annual holiday tradition that has been held on July 4 every year since 1916 at Coney Island. While the origins are debated, it is believed to have begun as a result of four immigrants who tried to eat as many hot dogs as possible to show off their patriotism.^[3] In 2010, however, promoter Mortimer Matz admitted to having fabricated the legend of the 1916 start date with a man named Max Rosey in the early 1970s as part of a publicity stunt.^[4] The legend grew over the years, to the point where The New York Times and other publications were known to have repeatedly listed 1916 as the inaugural year, although no evidence of the contest exists.^[4] As Coney Island is often linked with recreational activities of the summer season, several early contests were held on other holidays associated with summer besides Independence Day; Memorial Day contests were scheduled for 1972,^[5] 1975,^[6] and 1978,^[7] and a second 1972 event was held on Labor Day.^[8]

Joey Chestnut after his victory at the 2010 Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island
The organisation of Major League Eating (MLE) in 1997 was also a key development in the increasing popularity.^[9] The organisation is responsible for between 70 and 80 eating contests per year across North America, most notably Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, which has aired on ESPN since 2003.^[10] 
The most successful male competitor is Joey Chestnut, who has won a total fourteen times since 2007. He is the current champion as of 2021. Chestnut also holds the record for most hot dogs consumed in the contest, with 76 in 2021.^[11] The second most successful is Takeru Kobayashi, who won six consecutive titles from 2001 to 2006.^[12] Both men hold multiple world records relating to eating, with Kobayashi holding 5,^[13] and Chestnut 14.^[14]
In 2011, Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest introduced a female only tournament. The most successful competitor in this contest is Miki Sudo, with seven consecutive wins since 2014.^[15] She is the reigning female champion as of 2020 and also holds the record for most hot dogs eaten by a female contestant, with 48.5.^[16] She currently holds 3 world records.^[17]
From its humble pie-eating-contest roots in county fairs to the frankfurter mecca of Nathan's Famous in Coney Island, N.Y., the slice of Americana now known as the sport of Major League Eating (MLE) has grown into a $10 million industry.
Regulated by the International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) since 1997, MLE sanctions between 75 and 100 events annually in eight countries, challenging gurgitators (as the competitors are known) to feast on a host of foods that would extend beyond the grocery list needed to make Thanksgiving breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert. (It's a wonder "Thanksgiving Dinner" isn't just added as a new competition, since turkey, turducken, cranberry sauce, green beans, sweet potato casserole and pumpkin pie records are all on the books.)