Speed Eater Julie Goldberg Loves Downing Hot Dogs on the Fourth of July

Photo Courtesy of Kim Montuoro

Since 2019, Massachusetts native, current Astoria, New York resident Julie Goldberg has been competing at the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island on the Fourth of July. This year, Goldberg just missed making the finals, but she'll be watching from the sidelines with her mentor Crazy Legs Conti, arguably the most colorful character to ever speed eat competitively (check out Stadium Journey's interview with Crazy Legs Conti here). A few days before the big day, Goldberg took a few minutes away from her training table to answer a few questions.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

You have a PhD in poli sci. How'd you get into competitive eating? How long have you been doing it? Are you a lifer?

JULIE GOLDBERG:

I'm finishing up my PhD. I'm about halfway through my dissertation and on track to finish by the end of the year, fingers crossed. Before I moved to New York in 2017, I was living in Florida with my now 14-year-old border collie. I had a herding dog, but nothing for her to herd, so I took her running with me, about 40-plus miles a week. Needless to say, I've always had a huge appetite, but at the time, I was insatiable. My friends and family encouraged me to get into competitive eating, and as fate would have it, when I moved to NYC, I met Crazy Legs Conti, one of the OGs of competitive eating. We started training together, and I won my first qualifier for Coney in 2019. I'm a lifer, so long as I keep having fun.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

Do you have a pre-competition ritual? Do you fast, or is everything business as usual?

JULIE GOLDBERG:

In theory, I like to stay well-hydrated and eat lightly the day before, and a granola bar or banana the morning of. In practice, things don't always go as planned, and "being good" leading up to the competition hasn't always translated into better results for me. I've done everything right and have had disappointing results. In 2023, I won the DC qualifier and matched my personal best of 9.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes, but sort of went off the rails beforehand. I flew to DC from NYC and arrived several hours before the contest. I didn't want to venture into the DC heat too early, so I stopped at a bar in the airport for a beer. I intended to leave after one, but the bartender brought me a couple of freebies, and I couldn't bring myself to pass them up. I left the airport with plenty of time to spare and took home the women's trophy. What a thrill that was.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

What's your technique? Do you dip your buns in water? Do you eat the buns and meat separately? Please explain how you came up with your technique.

JULIE GOLDBERG:

Traditionally, I've eaten my hot dogs Solomon style - that is, splitting the dog from the bun, breaking the dog in half before eating, and dunking the bun in mildly hot Tang before swallowing as Crazy Legs taught me. I recently started incorporating keeping the dog and bun together and dunking them in Tang for at least part of the contest to mix things up.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

How do you feel after a competition? Are you hanging out after, or are you going straight home?

JULIE GOLDBERG:

There's always a time after a competition when you don't feel great because your belly is full and you have nitrates coursing through your body. Most of the contests I've participated in have been followed by an after-party of some sort. I generally suck up any discomfort and indulge the opportunity to hang out with my competitive eating buds.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

Describe your relationship with Crazy Legs Conti. What are your favorite establishments to dine out at with him?

JULIE GOLDBERG:

Crazy Legs and I first bonded over our love for Boston sports and then our love for hot dogs. Most of the time, when we meet up, it's to watch a Boston game on TV, so the establishments change often. I will say my favorite dining experience with him was at Madison Square Garden. He magically got us into a friend's private suite for a Celtics-Knicks game, which just happened to be my first NBA game ever. The food was awesome, and the Celts won!

STADIUM JOURNEY:

Which eaters do you hang with, if anyone, away from competition?

JULIE GOLDBERG:

I usually only see other eaters at contests, and I always look forward to seeing everyone. George Chiger is my competitive eating brother, though. We recently saw each other at a strawberry shortcake contest, and he took the brotherly initiative to check out my car for me. Larell Melee is essentially the mom of Major League Eating, and we have a tradition of going to the Perfect Pint in midtown Manhattan throughout the 4th festivities. I wish I got to see everyone more often, but we're all scattered across the country.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

Were you an athlete before competitive eating? Which sports, if any? Which Boston teams did you follow? Were you spending a lot of time at Fenway as a kid?

JULIE GOLDBERG:

I'm an armchair quarterback. I haven't played any team sports because I have terrible depth perception and coordination, but I've run three full marathons and twentyish half marathons. I'm a diehard and will root for any Boston team, but I live and breathe for the New England Patriots, and the Red Sox have a special place in my heart. I've never gone to Fenway until I was an adult. I was the youngest of three, so my family spent a lot more time cheering on the Pawtucket Red Sox at McCoy Stadium - RIP - but still holds the record for longest professional baseball game at 33 innings. We also went to a ton of Worcester Ice Cats - also RIP - games at the Worcester Centrum.

STADIUM JOURNEY:

What are the similarities between political science and competitive eating, if any?

JULIE GOLDBERG:

I would say you have to enjoy political science and competitive eating to ingratiate yourself in those worlds. They're also similar in that you need to know when to turn them off for your well-being. I'd like to think I've learned diplomacy from both as well. So much so that this Boston diehard can admit that the chicken buckets at Yankee Stadium are top-tier ballpark fare. 

STADIUM JOURNEY:                                                                                                   

Since we're talking political science. As far as a competition between U.S. Presidents, who are the top five finishers?                                                                    

JULIE GOLDBERG:                                                                                                        

1. Lincoln 2. FDR 3. Washington 4. Jefferson 5. Kennedy

STADIUM JOURNEY:                                                                                                    

As far as eating venues, what spots are must-stops? Recommendations, please. Need 'em. 

JULIE GOLDBERG:                                                                                                    

Jack Jones, a gastropub in Astoria, is my absolute favorite local place. I go there once a week and I'm always amazed by how delicious the food is. Jacob's Pickles on the Upper West Side is my favorite place for Southern cuisine. If you ever find yourself in Burrillville, Rhode Island, stop by Wright's for a family-style chicken dinner. You will not be disappointed.