Joey Chestnut Eats 50 Meatballs to Win Inaugural Martorano's Masters Meatball-Eating Championship

Joey Chestnut Eats 50 Meatballs to Win Inaugural Martorano's Masters
Meatball-Eating Championship
Utensils-only affair showcased Martorano's famous meatballs

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Joey Chestnut became the first-ever
Martorano's Masters Meatball Eating Champion on Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Rio
All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas after eating 50 meatballs in 10 minutes
of Major League Eating (MLE) sanctioned competition. The 6.25 pounds of
meatballs in 10 minutes set a new world record in the meatball discipline. The
contest featured a star-studded field of Major League Eaters and celebrities
all vying for a $1,500 first-place prize and title of Martorano's Meatball
Champion.

When asked about the key to his victory, Chestnut quickly pointed to the
quality of the meatballs. "The great taste and high quality of the meatballs
were evident in every bite," said world's No. 1-ranked Chestnut. "I am honored
to have my name forever associated with Martorano's world-famous meatballs."

The competition proved to be fierce with Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti finishing
a single meatball behind Chestnut's total of 50 to finish in second place and
win $750. 105-pound Sonya Thomas ate 42 meatballs to finish in third place
($500), while rookie upstart Ben Monson ate 38 meatballs to finish in fourth
place and win $250. Henderson native Rich "The Locust" LeFevre came out of
retirement to compete in his hometown and ate 33 meatballs to finish sixth.

To fully honor and respect cook/owner Steve Martorano's gourmet meatballs,
Major League Eating strayed from conventional competition standards and issued
a 'utensils-only' rule. The stipulation proved integral as it put an added
premium on technique throughout the contest.

"Watching the best eaters in the world eat bowl after bowl of my meatballs was
a real compliment," said Steve Martorano. "It was very important to me that
they enjoy the meatballs during the championship and I am proud my meatballs
could satisfy the appetites of top Major League Eaters."

Playboy cover model and new starlet of FANTASY in Las Vegas, Angelica Bridges,
also competed at Martorano's on Sunday. A crowd favorite in her competitive
eating debut, Bridges ate 10 meatballs totaling more than a pound of food.

"Angelica should be very proud of herself," said Mike Antolini of Major League
Eating. "She competed in a tough field and held her own. She is always welcome
to the Major League Eating table and I hope to see her again at next year's
Martorano's Masters."

SOURCE Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino

Mike Antolini of Major League Eating, +1-212-352-8651, mantolini@ifoce.com; or
Deanna Pettit of Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, +1-702-429-9649,
dpettit@harrahs.com