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Two Brevard Restaurants Selected Winners of James Beard Foundation’s Blended Burger Project

By  //  August 21, 2019

Chefs from the winning restaurants will now have the opportunity to cook their blended burgers in NYC

With nearly 500 participating restaurants across the nation and 402,000 consumer votes, Pompano Grill’s “Psychedelic Phish Burger” and Playalinda Brewing Company’s “Viva Ybor! Burger” were selected by a prestigious panel of judges to be among the top five winners. 

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – With nearly 500 participating restaurants across the nation and 402,000 consumer votes, Pompano Grill’s “Psychedelic Phish Burger” and Playalinda Brewing Company’s “Viva Ybor! Burger” were selected by a prestigious panel of judges to be among the top five winners. 

The top 25 restaurants with the highest votes were reviewed by a judging panel – Chris Morocco, Senior Food Editor, Bon Appétit; David Stample, Celebrity Chef and Philanthropist; Erika Nakamura and Jocelyn Guest, Star Butchers and Co-Founders, J&E SmallGoods – and narrowed to the final five.

Chefs from the winning restaurants will now have the opportunity to cook their blended burgers at the historic James Beard House in New York City on October 23. Winners will also be taking home $5,000 each.

“The continued excitement we’ve seen from chefs to add fresh, chopped mushrooms to burger patties for a more sustainable, flavorful burger has resulted in the best year of the Blended Burger Project to date,” said Kris Moon, chief operating officer of the James Beard Foundation.

“Congratulations to the five winners and thank you to all who participated.”

Chefs from the winning restaurants will now have the opportunity to cook their blended burgers at the historic James Beard House in New York City on October 23. Winners will also be taking home $5,000 each. 

The winning restaurants are:

• Burger Shack, Lahaina, HI: The Maui Ono Mushroom Burger is a 70/30 grass-fed Maui beef and Kiawe-smoked king ali’I’ mushroom patty on a toasted brioche bun with upcountry watercress, pickled hon shimeji mushrooms, red onion, carrot salad, Bel Paese cheese and kimchee ketchup.

• Hops at 84 East, Holland, MI: The Trumpet Burger is a 75/25 local brisket and trumpet mushroom grind garnished with Roelli Red Rock cheddar bleu, house bacon, gochujang-pickled wild foraged ramps, local arugula and duck fat mayo on a black and white sesame bun.

• Playalinda Brewing Company, Titusville, FL: The Viva Ybor! Burger consists of a soppressata-seasoned beef, pork and crimini mushroom blended patty topped with swiss, cured sweet ham, mojo pork pernil, English mustard, and house-made mustard pickles on fresh Cuban bread.

• Pompano Grill, Cocoa Beach, FL: The Psychedelic Phish Burger features a blended patty of local Florida caught cobia, Scottish salmon and roasted crimini mushrooms, hoisin sauce, ginger and garlic. The patty is coated in a tuxedo sesame and panko crust, topped with soy wasabi mayo, pickled shiitake mushrooms and arugula on a porcini mushroom-dusted brioche bun

• Vintage Year, Montgomery, AL: The Blended Burger features a mix of Alabama wagyu, crimini and oyster mushrooms with shaved fennel, apple, onion and ginger slaw, spiced sorghum glaze and red kale on a brioche bun.

For ideas and inspiration for making The Blend at home, visit Blenditarian.com.

(*Or other protein.)

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