A ubiquitous menu item will be grilled by its tasters this mid-winter season.
Burger Nelson Tasman’s Battle of the Burgers, assembled by Hospitality New Zealand, is stacked with 24 local venues keen as mustard to amass the most votes for their burgers with a side of extra patrons during the quieter time of year.
Hospitality New Zealand manager of the Nelson Tasman branch, Zinnia Foster, and facilitator of the contest says most entrants have devised a burger made to competition order and the people will decide who is crowned the region’s best.
“I don’t know anybody who doesn’t love a burger, and [burger competitions] have been successful in other places, so why not Nelson Tasman?” she says.
“We identified the need to drive guests into venues and have a bit of fun during winter time when people generally like staying at home and tucking up under the heat pump.
“Guests can view the line-up online, they will then go into venues and eat the burgers and providing proof of purchase [a photo of the burger, receipt or order confirmation], they will put in their vote online for any burgers that they eat.
“They then go in the draw to win prizes themselves, and the venues go in the draw to win cash prizes as well.”
Zinnia says her burger criteria would include a balance of richness, crunchy elements, a soft bun, and a harmonious sauce.
Sprig + Fern Māpua’s burger entry is ‘The Zingy Greenwave’ fish burger engineered by executive chef Tim Comber and head chef Pierre Mandelli.
Tim says Burger Nelson Tasman pushes the establishment “along the gastro pipeline”.
“We want to be in the forefront of what’s going on in the food scene… and any competition, we’re gonna give it a shot,” he says.
“We’ve created a fish burger for the fact that we’re in Māpua, and even though we’re not quite on the wharf, we want to bring the seafood element to the table.”
Little Nessie Cafe in Annesbrook is poised for a battle royal with its burger entry the ‘Reuben Royale’, which has already sizzled at Meatstock Hamilton 2024, described as Aoteaora’s biggest combined barbecue and music festival.
Owner Stina Laurence says it was a cinch to serve it up for a competition on home turf.
“We wanted to enter this burger competition just because it sounds really good, so we’re just hoping that we’ll do well and get the burger out there for people to try and maybe get some more customers,” she says.
The event fires up on 26 June with voting open until 3 August with the cloches lifted to reveal the podium finishers on 8 August.
