For the first few bites, I thought I could hang with Patrick Bertoletti, but then the 21-year-old began inhaling huge slabs of his 22-ounce rib-eye, finishing it in a minute and 15 seconds.
I was a quarter done with mine.
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I would have been shocked when he immediately plunged into his second rib-eye had I not known who this kid is: a young star with the International Federation of Competitive Eating who has more than 10 titles under his surprisingly short belt. “Mmm … steak is good,” he muttered between staccato chomps.
Bertoletti, who grew up in Palos Heights, stood out among the suited set at Gibson’s Bar and Steakhouse, 1028 N. Rush St., because of his spiked mohawk, his Hot Doug’s T-shirt and his ability to consume quantities of food that would send most diners to the emergency room. Two EMTs were on hand for this informal eat-off, just in case.
“Some people have the problem of having to chew their food a lot. I don’t have that,” said the Kendall College student, who hopes to open his own restaurant, which I hope is buffet style. The speed-eating competitions are just a fun way Bertoletti earns extra bread — he estimates $40,000 last year — while his body can handle the abuse. (During workouts the 185-pounder avoids crunches, fearing that strong abs will restrict his stomach’s ability to expand.)
I had prepared for our lunchtime eat-off with a breakfast of an apple. Bertoletti, appearing on Fox News, downed nine doughnuts, which didn’t slow him down a bit as he polished off those rib-eyes, a loaf of bread, a bowl of creamed spinach and 3 pounds [not a typo] of carrot cake.
I, like the wait staff at Gibson’s, was awed. Bertoletti, like the beef in the kitchen, was just getting warmed up.
Bertoletti won the St. Patrick’s Day Chowdown in Savannah, Ga., consuming 98 jalapenos, 47 green doughnuts and 10.63 pounds of corned beef and cabbage.