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Chattanooga: Chestnut repeats as Krystal champ; Kobayashi takes third

By: Elizabeth Ryan
(Contact)

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Joey Chestnut

Sweat poured down the face of Joey “Jaws” Chestnut as he dipped the square, minihamburgers into a cup of water and crammed them into his bulging mouth.

“Faster Joey! You gotta go faster!” a fan shouted at him from the front row of the screaming crowd.

More than 10,000 people turned out to cheer on the competitors at the Krystal Square Off World Hamburger Eating Championship on Sunday. Fans wore red Krystal T-shirts, waved red foam fingers and created a din with inflatable Krystal clappers. Two women held up a homemade sign dedicated to 30-year old Japanese eating legend Takeru Kobayashi.

Brad Wahl, vice president of marketing for the Krystal Co., said the event was not a celebration of gluttony but a chance to share the fun of the brand.

“People in the South are passionate about Krystals,” he said. “They like to showcase that, and this event has turned into how passionate people are.”

Televised live on FSN South network, a dozen videographers from around the world vied for position in front of the frantic eaters as Kobayashi fans called his name and took photos on their cell phones.

“I love to eat, and I love to know that the person next to me wants to beat me with everything they’ve got — but they can’t,” said Mr. Chestnut, 24, of San Jose, Calif., who set a world’s record last year by eating 103 hamburgers in eight minutes.

During the height of the binge, 23-year-old Patrick “Deep Dish” Bertoletti, of Chicago, gorged himself to the rhythm of punk band Mexican Cheerleader on his iPod. With hands stained pink from his fruit punch and pink lemonade flavored dipping liquid, Mr. Bertoletti edged ahead of Mr. Kobayashi, at one point coming within five burgers of Mr. Chestnut’s lead.

At the buzzer, Mr. Chestnut forced the last mouthful of 93 mashed buns and beef down his throat, to clinch the $20,000 first prize. Mr. Bertoletti finished second with 85 hamburgers, just one more than Mr. Kobayashi.

“I feel a little full, but I’m happy,” Mr. Chestnut said. “I’m happy as heck.”

The stage was littered with trampled hamburger boxes and soggy confetti as the competitors signed T-shirts, gave interviews and took photos with fans. Mr. Kobayashi stripped down to a pair of shorts and bounced around the stage, rubbing his rounded belly.

Mr. Bertoletti, who works as a chef for a company that prepares diet food, said he preferred Krystal burgers to the square burgers available in Chicago, but wasn’t in the mood for anything else to eat today.

“I don’t feel full; I just can feel every single burger that’s in me,” he said.

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