Chef Michael Schwartz took top honors at the 2010 Amstel Light Burger Bash last night, earning the Allen Brothers Golden Grill Award - the judge's choice for best burger. Twenty-seven patties were battling for this and three other awards inside a smoky tent on the beach outside the Ritz-Carlton.
Schwartz prepared his Michael's Genuine Bacon Cheeseburger, served on a brioche bun and topped with house-smoked bacon, white cheddar, heirloom tomato and lettuce. It was definitely one of the best burgers of the night, and it was recognized by a group of judges that included Art Smith, Top Chef contestant Carla Hall, Food & Wine restaurant editor Kate Krader, Divya Gugnani of website Behind the Burner and Esquire's Ryan D'Agostino.
Iron Chef Michael Symon of B Spot and Lola and Lolita in
Cleveland took the People's Choice Award with his Fat Doug burger,
topped with pastrami, Swiss cheese, and coleslaw.
That pastrami
definitely won us over, and so did the Baconater - a vanilla, apple
pie, bacon and bourbon milkshake served on the side.
Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto's Pork "Kakuni" Burger, won the Best Dressed Award. The burger was topped with glazed pork
belly and judging by the long line, it must've been good.
Sadly, Top Chef contestant Spike Mendelsohn of Good Stuff
Eatery in Washington, D.C. -- who took all three awards last year --
left empty-handed. Even the heavy campaigning for voting chips at his booth
by girls wearing very short shorts and boxing gloves didn't help him take the prize. If it's any consolation, we liked his burger.
Another
local chef, Mark Zeitouni of The Standard Hotel, won the Best Side
award for his homemade tater tots. That's two out of four for the
locals. Maybe next year we'll sweep. Here are a few more photos.
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