3 minute read
Belgian Beer Café takes home SA’s Best Pub Burger for 2024!
from Hotel SA Sep 2024
by Boylen
MAJOR EVENT PARTNER: THOMAS FOODS AUSTRALIA
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The pressure was on at The Griffins Hotel in July, as twelve finalists once again battled it out for the title of SA’s Best Pub Burger 2024, sponsored by Thomas Foods Australia, in front of a live audience.
Although the competition was fierce and the standard was higher than ever, it was head chef, Ryan Davey, from the Belgian Beer Café in the East End of Adelaide, who impressed the judges with his Black Angus Wagyu Burger!
“I am very proud to win this award. I couldn’t have done it without my entire Belgian Beer Café team,” said Ryan.
“It was a case of using really high-quality ingredients. I cooked a fairly standard burger but it’s about taking normal ingredients and making them as good as they can be.”
Ryan spoke about his journey in the hospitality industry and how his passion led him to a head chef position at the Belgian.
“I knew I wanted to be a chef when I was young. I got into kitchens at age fifteen. I saw how awesome the trainers were at trade school, pursued that, and have loved every minute of it.
“Being a chef is a job that requires passion. If you’re interested in the hospitality industry, leave nothing behind and go for it! It’s fun, you’ll meet so many people, and have a skill that can take you anywhere, including winning a fantastic burger challenge!” Ryan said.
AHA|SA CEO, Anna Moeller, congratulated Ryan and the Belgian Beer Café on taking out the top honours!
“The smells were amazing. It was torture watching everyone compete and not being able to take a bite while they were cooking!,” she said.
“A huge thank you to all our sponsors for making this event possible, putting the best of South Australia’s hotels and their burgers well and truly on the map.”
Ryan says he’ll return next year to defend the Belgian’s title saying, “I’m confident. I’m definitely going to give it a good crack! Our burger is not going to change, we’ll keep it the same, and I’m really confident in the product we have. I’m going to back myself 100%.”
The competition received 40 entries from hotels across South Australia. A blind tasting was held on 17 July to determine the 12 finalists in the grand finale. The 11 other finalists in the final competition were: Arkaba, Globe Hotel Mount Gambier, Golden Grove Tavern, Maylands Hotel, Mount Gambier Hotel, Pier Hotel Glenelg, Seven Stars Hotel, Stamford Grand Adelaide, Strathmore Hotel, The Griffins Hotel, and Torrens Arms Hotel.
Burgers were judged against a list of criteria, including presentation of the chef, ingredients and burger, taste, meat content and value for money.
The expert judging panel consisted of:
Tom Rehn – FIVEAA (AHA|SA Gold Corporate Partner)
Claudia Dichiera – InDaily Food & Wine Editor (AHA|SA Gold Corporate Partner)
Natha Lazaroff – Thomas Foods (SA Pub Burger Challenge Sponsor/AHA|SA Gold Corporate Partner)
Thank you to our major Burger Challenge sponsor, Thomas Foods Australia, and supporters, FIVEAA, InDaily, and Stoddart.
WINNING BURGER - BELGIAN BEER CAFE
‘Black Angus Wagyu Burger’ - Wagyu beef pattie, bacon jam, cheddar, pickles, onion, tomato, lettuce, Dijon, Belgian mayonnaise, on a potato bun - $25
Watch Ryan’s interview with CEO, Anna Moeller.
