Fresh Oyster (photo by DT Creations, courtesy of morguefile.com)

Weighing in at just 105 pounds, Chicago’s own Patrick "Deep Dish" Bertoletti has captured the Acme World Oyster Eating championship belt, one of the competitive eating world’s most prestigious prizes. He earned the prize by besting a field of a dozen professional eaters competing in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter.

According to a report from the Associated Press posted by the Houston Chronicle, the slender 22-year-old slurped down 35 oysters in the allotted 8 minutes. The article quotes the new champ as saying, "I could probably do a couple dozen more, especially if they were charbroiled...athough they're great raw."

Mr. Bertoletti also holds claim to the oyster-eating endurance title. In 2007, he downed 53 ½ dozen oysters to win that title.

If you’d like to read the Associated Press report cited above go to: Oyster-eating champ slurps 35 dozen in New Orleans