Last Friday, I had the opportunity to attend the 2009 NYC Wine & Food Festival Burger Bash. At the South Beach Burger Bash earlier this year, Spike Mendelsohn (formerly of Top Chef) and owner of Good Stuff Eatery in Washington DC swept the competition, taking the People’s Choice, Judge’s Award, and the Best Dressed Burger. Last year’s NYC Burger Bash winner Katie Lee (Billy Joel’s ex) was also entered, expecting to retain her crown.

The man, the myth, the Flay!

Other places entered were: Bobby’s Burger Palace, City Hall Restaurant, DuMont Burger, Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine, Fatty Crab, Gus and Gabriel, Lure, Minetta Tavern, Mullanes Bar and Grill, Old Homestead Steakhouse, Shake Shack, The Spotted Pig, Wall Street Burger Shoppe, Wildwood Barbeque and Wollensky’s Grill.

The party started at 7:00 PM and went until 10 PM. Anyone and everyone from the Food Network was there: Duff from Ace of Cakes with his team, Tyler Florence, Robert Irvine from Dinner Impossible, Giada De Laurentiis, Big Daddy, Bobby Flay, Rachel Ray, Guy Fieri, Chef Morimoto. Some major NYC food personalities were also seen floating through the crowd: Chef Michael White of Alto, Marea and Convivio, Martha Stewart, Mark Pastore of Pat LaFrieda Meats, Jeffrey Chodorow and even Rocco DiSpirito. Non foodies spotted included Nick Mangold of the NY Jets.

READ ON for more about the NYC Burger Bash…

Nick Mangold of the Jets

Regarding the burgers, yes, I tried just about every one that was there. Lure’s was my favorite by far, Minetta Tavern’s was the best flavor (beef-wise), Wollensky Grill was grinding dry aged beef on the spot and making burgers from it.  Dumont Burger, Spotted Pig and Gus & Gabriels were all very good as well.  In addition to the burgers being presented there were also some interesting beverages served with a few of the burgers.  Spike served a Toasted Marshmellow Milkshake with his, Bobby Flay served a Vanilla Caramel Bourbon Milkshake with his and Fatty Crab served Rum Lime & Tabasco shots with theirs.  The best thing served with any burger though was the Chocolate Fudge that City Hall was giving out with their burgers.

If sweets were your thing, they had that covered too with Cake Man Raven and Jacques Torres Chocolates.

At the end, two winners were announced:  Josh Capon of Lure won the People’s Choice Award and Spike Mendelsohn won The Judge’s Pick.

Guy Fieri and me at the Burger Bash!

My recollection (and picture taking) got a little fuzzier as the night went along with all of the booze and burgers floating around.  However there are some other great recaps of the evening:

Eater’s Hangover Observations from The Burger Bash

The Feedbag’s 2009 Burger Bash, The Slideshow

The NY Post’s Crushing the competition at Burger Bash

In closing I just want to say that there was one other person I enjoyed meeting and speaking with that night…

Martha and Me!

Jon Hochstat

I created the weekly food column for Hidden Track. Currently working on my own food related website, details to come soon...It's a big world, someone's gotta write about it.