Hot dogs for men's health

Jay Kolenski, Rye American Kitchen manager, gets ready for Saturday's hot dog eating competition to raise money for men's health. Photo/George Novak

Hot dogs will be the only thing on the menu this weekend as a star-studded list of competitors shovel down as many as possible to raise money for men's health.

On Saturday afternoon Rye American Kitchen and Spirits will hold their second annual Hot Dog Eating Competition with proceeds going to the Movember Foundation.

The 10 competitors include Nela Zisser - a former model turned competitive eater and the Oceania record holder for hot dog eating - this year's Block NZ People's Choice winner Big Dyls, All Black Nathan Harris and Bay of Plenty Steamer Tim Bond.

Rye manager Jay Kolenski said contestants would have 10 minutes to eat as many hot dogs in buns as possible - with the record at seven and a half.

"We want to try to raise as much money as possible for the Movember Foundation for men's health.

"Men's health affects about half the population and everyone has a man in their life they would like to have accessibility to the charity funds if something was to go wrong with them," Mr Kolenski said.

Last year the event raised nearly $2000 and this year the goal was $2500.

The event would have a family feel, with free hot dogs and face painting for children, spot prizes and live music.

All month Rye had been running Movember cocktails, donating $2 from each sale to the charity. The restaurant staff had also got behind the movement, with those that could growing moustaches and collecting money.

The competition was loosely based on Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in the United States, where this year's winner Joey Chestnut ate 70 hot dogs.

"I couldn't even imagine eating five," Mr Kolenski said, but New Zealand hot dog eating champ Nela Visser would be there to try to beat her record of 16 hot dogs which she did at Nathan's contest in 2015.

Where: Rye American Kitchen, Wharf St
When: Starts at 2pm, hot dog eating contest kicks off at 2.30pm

Full list of contestants:
Justin Evans - MORE FM Breakfast host
Tiny - Reigning champ
Big Dlys - One half of this year's Block NZ People's Choice winners
Dan Goodwin - Tauranga fireman and former Steamer
Nathan Harris - All Black
Tim Coad - Works at Bell Plumbing
Jaco Wessels - Former chef and in the navy for five years
Casey Rarere - Production engineer for Mediaworks Tauranga
Nela Visser - Former model, Miss Earth NZ 2013 and Oceania record holder for hot dog eating
Tim Bond - Steamer and former Japanese university rugby player