Bennisons is an Evanston treasure. Whether you go there for birthday cakes, smiley face cookies or to enjoy a sweet start to your morning, everyone can agree that Bennisons is an unforgettable part of the tight-knit community.
On Saturday, March 1, 2025, Evanston’s Bennisons Bakery held its 14th annual Paczki eating contest. Members of the Evanston community and visitors from neighboring Chicago suburbs gathered together on Maple Avenue, Saturday afternoon, to cheer on the 12 teams of 2 that were competing.
A paczki, pronounced poonch-key, is a decadent Polish pastry similar to a jelly-filled donut. Originally, paczki were made as a way to use up ingredients such as butter, sugar, and eggs before the beginning of Lent. These filled pastries are especially popular for Fat Tuesday before the start of Lent on the following Wednesday.
This Bennisons tradition began in 2010 to help raise money for the relief efforts for the earthquake in Haiti. Each year following, the money raised during the season is donated to charitable causes. Owner Jory Downer’s daughter-in-law, Blaine Downer, explained last year’s donation.
“We proudly donate a portion of our prune paczki sales to a meaningful cause. Last year, we supported Border Tails Rescue, a local animal shelter in Northbrook,” she said.
This year’s donation holds a special significance, shares owner Jory Downer.
“This year, we are honored to donate in memory of Guy Downer Sr. who recently passed away and purchased the bakery from Larry Bennison’s widow in 1967,” said Downer in reflection of his father, a proud WWII Navy Veteran and previous business owner.
“In his memory, we’ve chosen to support Folds of Honor, an organization that provides educational scholarships to the children and spouses of fallen or disabled military members and first responders.”
An event such as this takes a baker’s dozen to accomplish. Baker Phoebe Casey mentions the hustle and time it takes to prepare for such an event. “My experience making paczki recently is chaotic yet incredibly efficient,” explains Casey. “It is our Super Bowl.”
Front of store employee and manager, Kayleigh Morgan, shared her experience working with customers leading up to the happening Saturday.
“It’s very rewarding to see the smiles on customers’ faces,” said Morgan. “Though sometimes it can be overwhelming, it is always worth it in the end.”
All contestants received a Bennisons Bakery T-shirt and a $25 Bennisons Bakery gift card to celebrate their participation. Winners who had eaten the most paczki in five minutes received $200 cash and a $75 gift card.
This year, winners Adam Wendt and Patrick Bertoletti ate a total of forty-five paczki in under five minutes. Bertoletti led them to victory with his experience in competitive eating. Just last year, he was named Nathan’s Famous Hotdog Eating Champion in New York.
This Bennisons tradition is more than just a competition. This event celebrates community, a small local business and the spirit of friendly competition. Most importantly, the competition brings people of all identities together to enjoy something sweet.
“Thank you for helping us make a difference – one paczki at a time.”
