History Made at Acme Oyster House

Pat Bertoletti consumed 53.5 dozen Louisiana Oysters today at the Acme Oyster House in Metairie, Louisiana. This is a new record in the Acme long form.

Acme has sponsored a number of IFOCE World Oyster Eating Championships, ten minute events occuring at the annual French Quarter Festival and also at Acme's Metairie location. It was in Metairie that Bertoletti consumed 53.5 Louisana Oysters in 48 minutes.

Oysters have long been a measuring stick. Crazy Legs Conti ate 34 dozen of the Louisiana treats while watching the Patriots beat the Rams in the Super Bowl years back and is best known for winning the first Acme Championship when he consumed 14 dozen oysters in ten minutes at French Quarter Fest 2002. Bayou Boyd dethroned Conti the next year by eating 18 dozen in ten minutes.

The short form, however, belongs to Sonya Thomas who consumed 46 dozen Acme Oysters in ten minutes in spring 2005. To the amazement of fans gathered, Thomas then consumed six additional dozen to set the long form record, which stood until today. Thomas' long form was completed in roughly 35 minutes (an award ceremony took place immediately after the championship event).

"Bertoletti witnessed Sonya's feat at the 2005 Acme Oyster Championship. He was a newcomer and I remember calling him 'a virtual unknown,'" said Richard Shea. "He now owns the long form record and is ranked just ahead of Sonya. If we run an Acme championship this year I hope these two greats will face off."

The 2006 Acme event was postponed due to complications with Hurricane Katrina. To donate to those in the New Orleans area who continue to struggle with rebuilding, visit http://www.no-hunger.org/