Evidently disdainful of slinging burgers at the neighbourhood joint or hooking up with a landscaping crew, Czerwinski travels the continent, wolfing down huge amounts of food as a competitive eater.
“I am one of the fastest eaters in the world,” the 22-year-old Mississaugan told The News in April before taking off to take on all comers.
True to his boast, he’s done just that.
“Furious Pete,” as he’s known on the speed-eating circuit, is undefeated since he started devouring the competition more than one year ago. He currently tops the rankings of the Association of Independent Competitive Eaters. AICE is so impressed by his eating prowess, it’s his official sponsor. That’s like the NHL paying Sidney Crosby to showcase his talent with a puck.
Last Saturday (July 19) in Marshall, Texas, Czerwinski captured the 3rd Annual World Pastrami Eating Championship by eating 5.7 one-pound Reuben sandwiches in eight minutes, a new world record.
One day earlier, in an incredible display of meatball mastery, Czerwinski left no doubt as to who North America’s No. 1 meatball eater is; he downed 43 of the spherical treats in only seven minutes, another new world record.
Czerwinski took home $3,000 in prize money, which will come in handy helping to pay tuition for his engineering studies at McMaster University.
Czerwinski isn’t choosy about what he eats. Besides Reuben and pastrami sandwiches, AICE stages contests in burrito, Italian sandwich, beef patty, hamburger, pulled-pork sandwich, pumpkin pie, chili and, of course, hot dog eating.
In training, Czerwinski has been known to devour a 72-ounce steak. He once put down a 106-ounce steak in 30 minutes and 18 bananas in two minutes.
And to think that just five years ago, Czerwinski was close to dying at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children due to advanced anorexia.
Now he’s on a mission.
“I’m trying to be an inspiration to those that struggle with eating disorders,” he said.
jchin@mississauga.net
