2017 Savor® Card Burger Battle

This is a sponsored post in collaboration with Capital One®.

Right before the New Year, I had the opportunity to be a judge at the Savor® Card Burger Battle at the annual Capital One Orange Bowl, alongside Russell Maryland, Tom Cousineau and my husband/blogger Matt.

If you know anything about tailgating, then you know burgers are kings. But what sets apart a good burger from an epic one? I’ve eaten a lot of burgers with all kinds of meats, encased in lots of different buns that have been slathered and layered with a multitude of condiments. My point is I’ve eaten my weight in burgers to probably last several lifetimes, and I’m still no closer to succinctly defining the perfect burger. But here’s what I know I want my burger to be:

• The burger patty. This is the main character in a larger ensemble.  It should be juicy, medium rare and to taste like meat. Not gamey, not dry. It has no insecurities—the bun and condiments are not a dress-up or cover-up for a lack of flavor, but rather enhancements to something that is good enough to stand alone.
• The bun. It should have enough structure to hold all the slathered sauces and layers of condiment against the burger patty without resembling memory foam or insulation. This means it can’t break, crack or get soaked, nor should it should be tasteless or an afterthought. And it most definitely needs to be toasted. The toasting adds structure, but the bigger upshot is the texture it contributes to the overall burger – a slight crunch is always my preference.
• Condiments. It should play well with others and not usurp the burger patty. I’m usually looking for balance and harmony when adding condiments.

Judging Aftermath

Below are the corresponding burgers from this year’s competing chefs: Chef Michael Matya, The Nitty Gritty and Pincho Factory. Each one of them put out a great burger, but as any contest goes, there could only be one winner. So, after taking in all my above biases and the tallying up the points on the score card, Pincho Factory came out ahead. I wasn’t alone, the decision was unanimous.

Chef Michael Matya

The Nitty Gritty

Pincho Factory

After awarding Pincho Factory the judge’s choice and the Foodie Favorite Award, Matt and I walked around and sampled a few food trucks at the event. The whole event was right in line with the idea of the Savor card, appealing to foodies like us. It’s the card that scores big when it comes to dining out and grocery purchases, by offering unlimited 3% cash back on dining, 2% back on groceries and 1% on all other purchases. The Capital One Savor card rewards people for doing what they love – eating, dining, gathering and making memories. You can learn more about the Savor card here.

Chefs Nedal Ahmad and Adrian Sanchez

Especially memories like participating in the Savor Card Burger Battle. What an unforgettable event!