Bertoletti Takes GoldenPalace.net Chocolate Eating Contest

Chicago's Patrick Bertoletti was victorious at the GoldenPalace.net St. Valentine’s Day Chocolate Massacre in Chicago. The contest was seven minutes long to honor each of the seven men killed by the hitmen of Al Capone in 1929.

The event was held on the eve of Valentine's Day at the Chicago Chocolate Company, which provided custom milk chocolate hearts weighing 3.5 oz each for the contest.

Bertoletti (Chicago, IL) consumed 1 lb, 15.5 oz to win $2500; Bubba Yarbrough (Newnan, GA) placed second to earn $1250; Kevin Carr (Columbus, OH) placed third for $750; Jim Hamrick (Springfield, IL) was fourth and earned $325 and Domenico Alesi (Chicago, IL) took fifth place and went home with $175.

Bertoletti, a student of the culinary arts at Kendall College, caught people's attention in January when he beat Sonya Thomas, the top-ranked eater in America, at the corned beef sandwich eating championship in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

“Bertoletti enters ’06 as strong as any other eater on the circuit,” said Charles Hardy, commissioner of the IFOCE. “Erik the Red, Hall, and Chip have shown skills, but Bertoletti is looking Chestnut-like of late.”

“The buzz around Bertoletti has been incredible,” said Kate Westfall of the IFOCE. “He has earned a place in the hearts of women all over America.” The chocolate contest resulted in this web article.