Joey Chestnut, the 18-time Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest champion and No. 1-ranked professional eater, will compete in the inaugural Junk Yard Dog Challenge at Salvage Yard Bar and Grill this Saturday. The event pits the competitive eating star against local St. Louis eaters in a race to finish an 8-pound Chicago-style deep-dish pizza loaded with meat, cheese, and sauce within 45 minutes.
The challenge begins at noon on October 17 at Salvage Yard, located at 5406 Hampton Avenue in the Princeton Heights neighborhood of south St. Louis. A limited number of free tickets were distributed through a raffle, giving attendees the chance for a pre-event meet-and-greet and photo opportunity with Chestnut. A portion of the proceeds will benefit charity.
Salvage Yard, which opened in 2020 in the former Louie’s Pizza Co. location, already offers a house version of the Junk Yard Dog challenge on its menu. That version gives diners 30 minutes to finish a pie built from 45 ounces of dough and 24 ounces of cheese plus toppings. The special event extends the window to 45 minutes and elevates the scale for the national competitor. The restaurant is known for Chicago deep-dish, St. Louis thin-crust, and its signature B.O.B. pie featuring Provel cheese.
Chestnut enters the challenge as the dominant figure in the sport. He claimed his 18th Nathan’s title earlier this year by consuming 66 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes and holds dozens of world records across food categories, including several involving pizza. Major League Eating ranks him as the top professional eater.
Local competitors, including St. Louis-area eaters with experience in large-pizza challenges, will join him. The event blends Chestnut’s national profile with St. Louis pizza culture at a neighborhood bar that has drawn attention for its oversized-pie offerings.
Whether Chestnut or a local challenger claims the first Junk Yard Dog title will be decided when the clock starts Saturday at noon. For a city with a long history of distinctive pizza styles, the arrival of one of competitive eating’s biggest names adds a high-profile chapter to that story.
