USA.HMSHost and The Culinary Institute of America this week hosted the first Burger Throwdown competition at the San Antonio Marriott Rivercenter.
The contest was part of the concessionaire’s Directors of Operations Conference for Company leaders and involved HMSHost Branch Chefs demonstrating their abilities in the “art of burger-making”.
The judges included an all-star line-up comprised of renowned Chefs Lorena Garcia, Todd English, and Johnny Hernandez; Chefs David Kamen and David Bruno from The Culinary Institute of America; and HMSHost President and CEO Tom Fricke.
The Throwdown rules allowed each competitor 30 minutes to cook, plate, and deliver their ground-beef burgers to the judges.
 |
Burger Smackdown competitors (L-R): GIo Ossa, Fabio Montijo, John Pekka Woods, Juan Maradiaga, Christopher Bellizzi |
“For a burger-lover like me, choosing a winner was no easy task at the Burger Throwdown,” said HMSHost President and CEO Tom Fricke. “The burgers that our Chefs created were absolutely wonderful to look at, and more importantly, they were delicious to eat! The fact that they were able to create them with limited time and under great pressure is a real tribute to the true talent of the Chefs at HMSHost.”
Top HMSHost Branch chefs created the following burgers:
– Chef Gio Osso from Phoenix created The Matador
– Chef Fabio Montijo from Los Angeles created the LaBlue Burger
– Chef John Pekka Woods from Toronto created the Maple Bacon Candied Bacon Burger
– Chef Juan Maradiaga from Miami created the Super Burger
– Chef Christopher Bellizzi from Montreal created The Ultimate Burger
Winners were determined based on two judging categories with specific criteria and a points system. The Tasting category, accounting for two-thirds of the competitors’ scores, allowed judges to assess taste, presentation, execution, ability to discuss the menu.
The Kitchen Floor category, accounting for the other third of the competitors’ scores, allowed judges to assess mise en place and organisation; sanitation procedure and cleanliness; proper utilisation of ingredients and leftovers; timing of service, cooking techniques; skills and fundamentals.
After deliberation, judges decided the best burger and winner was the LaBlue Burger by Chef Fabio. Prizes for Chef Fabio included a US$500 gift card and a trophy.
 |
Trophy presentation (L-R): Lorena Garcia, winning chef Fabio Montijo and Todd English |
Chef Fabio’s burger recipe was also featured as the main dish served to all conference guests at a luncheon the following day. Additionally, the LaBlue Burger recipe will be incorporated into HMSHost airport restaurant menus (details to be determined).
HMSHost Chief Operating Officer Pat Banducci commented: “The Burger Throwdown made for an extraordinary and exciting evening, and is definitely one for the history books here at HMSHost. The contest was a great success for the Conference and I am really looking forward to seeing Chef Fabio’s victorious LaBlue Burger on tables in HMSHost locations.”
*NOTE: The Foodie Report is the sister title of The Moodie Report. Published monthly within The Moodie Report e-Zine, plus regular coverage on this website, The Foodie Report covers all revenue-generating travel-related food & beverage. For your free subscription please e-mail Genevieve.Knevitt@TheMoodieReport.com.
For advertising details, please e-mail Mike.Sawicki@TheMoodieReport.com. Both titles also organise the annual Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards, covering both airport and railway F&B.
[houseAd3]
