Arts & Entertainment
Chicago's National Burger-Eating Champ Loses to a Girl
Patrick Bertoletti comes up one burger short and loses the crown.
Defending burger-eating champ Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago lost his burger crown to a woman — the first woman to win the annual Z-Burger Independence Burger Eating Championship in Washington, D.C.
Bertoletti, who grew up in Palos Heights, came up one burger short as Molly Schuyler ate 26 burgers in 10 minutes at the July 3 event to kick off the Independence Day weekend. "Deep Dish" Bertoletti, 29, downed 25 burgers.
Schuyler, 34, a mother of four and the only woman entered, won a $1,500 cash prize. Bertoletti, who last year managed to swallow 28 burgers, took home $850.
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“I knew I had to have a perfect session today to beat Molly ... and I was just a little less than perfect. Hats off to her. … She’s one of the best.”
On July 4, Bertoletti moved on to a hot-dog eating competition on Coney Island, but lost to eight-time champion Joey Chestnut.
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