When it comes to hot dogs, nobody understands them as well as Joey Chestnut. Fresh off yet another Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest victory that allowed him to retain ownership of the Mustard Belt, Chestnut was on hand for another hot dog eating contest as part of Major League Baseball’s all-star festivities in Miami. Though much smaller in scale with a mixed batch of contestants, Chestnut still put on a show. But it was his comments off the stage that should really draw your attention.
Is a hot dog a sandwich? Joey Chestnut says no.
Chestnut appears to be more concerned about keeping a distance away from any gray area when it comes to classifying sandwiches. As you will notice, Chestnut warns that you enter a dangerous territory if you consider a hot dog a sandwich, because then you have to wonder if a gyro is a sandwich (which, of course, it is not).
Everybody has their own way of classifying what is and what is not a sandwich. I happen to fall in line with the “Non-Sandwich” Party in the hot dog debate. A hot dog is a perfectly fine food, but as Chestnut says, it just doesn’t fit the specs as a traditional sandwich.
[Deadspin]