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Chestnut going whole hog
World champion eater trying to bite off new title at Baconfest
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Joey Chestnut — a San Jose man who makes a pig of himself for a living — is competing in the World Bacon Eating Championship taking place during the second annual Dell’Osso Family Farm Baconfest next month.
Chestnut, 33, is the reigning world champion competitive eater on the sanctioned Major League Eating circuit. He is the 10 time champion of the world’s premiere competitive eating contest — the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest at New York’s Coney Island. He successfully defended his title this year by consuming a record 72 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes.
The bacon, brews, and bands event is Saturday, Sept. 9, and Sunday, Sept. 10, at Dell’Osso Farms off Interstate 5 at Manthey Road in Lathrop. The eating championships are set for Sept. 10 at 4 p.m.
Returning this year will be the world’s top-ranked female eater, Miki Sudo. She was the inaugural champion as she won in an overtime matchup against Michelle Lesco. Both eaters consumed eight pounds of bacon in eight minutes of regulation competition.
Chestnut and Sudo will face fierce competition from other top eaters, including No. 6 ranked Gideon Oji, No. 9 ranked Michelle Lesco, No. 16 ranked Steve Hendry, and No. 17-ranked Pablo Martinez. They will be competing for $4,000 in prize money.
Chestnut owns 10 world record eating titles. Among them are:
uDeep fried asparagus. The mark of 12.8 pounds of deep fried asparagus was set at the May 2014 Stockton Asparagus Festival.
uPork rolls sandwiches. He consumed a record 32 quarter-pound pork roll sandwiches at Case’s Pork Roll Eating Championship in Trenton, New Jersey, in 10 minutes in September of 2015.
uHard-boiled eggs. Chestnut in eight minutes ate 114 hard-boiled eggs in October of 2013 at the Radcliff Fall Festival in Kentucky.
Baconfest will also feature cooking contests using bacon.
Both competitions will be conducted both days  as “Mystery Basket Style” live on stage with celebrity judges. It will be emceed both days by Adam Richman, of TV’s “Man vs. Food” and other dining and eating challenge programs on the Travel Channel.
There will be professional and amateur cooking contests. The winner of the amateur contest will receive $3,000. The winner of the professional completion will receive a special gourmet experience at The Five Star French Laundry with an overnight stay at Vallagio Inn and Spa in Yountville.  
Baconfest will have dozens of Bacon Alley food vendors selling various food items centered on bacon and 20 microbreweries. Entertainment takes place on two stages on both days featuring with live bands and several other performance acts.
The two-day event will also have arts and crafts vendors, a Bloody Mary booth, and wine.
Parking is free as are kids’ activities such as the Dell’Osso Express Train, kiddie roller coaster, spinning pumpkins and mini Ferris wheel rides, bounce pillows, pedal car speedway and other attractions
Tickets are $25 for adults (15 and older) $12.50 for children.
Event information and tickets are available now online at www.baconfest.com