Culinary Fight Club 2016: The Blended Burger Battle in San Diego, California

A bright sunny afternoon became the backdrop of an ensuing battle…the battle of the best blended burger. There can be only one! Culinary Fight Club presented their inaugural Southern California event called the Blended Burger Battle where 4 contestants must turn in a burger whose patty is blended with 25% mushrooms. The burgers are scored by a panel of judges and the winner receives $200, the Culinary Fight Club Trophy, and a Golden Ticket for entry into the World Food Championships. There is also a people’s choice vote. That winner receives $50 and a Culinary Fight Club Apron.

The competitors were Chef Tom Logsdon of The Balboa Bar and Grill,

Chef Bobby Mariner of Viejas Casino,

Chef Cheryl Cruz of Loft 94 and Beer Garden,

and Chef Alexis Rangel of Svante's Restaurant.

All competitors were able to source their own proteins (beef, bacon, seafood, etc.) Produce, seasonings, condiments, buns, cheeses, etc. were available in the pantry. But, the chefs only had 60 seconds in which to shop for them but couldn’t use any sort of basket or cart. So they elected to use their aprons as their “shopping basket”. The chefs were allowed to view what was in the pantry ahead of time so they could at least strategize on what to grab. 

During the mad dash, similar to what you might have seen in a show called, “Cutthroat Kitchen”, a bottle of molasses became an unfortunate casualty. You can almost hear a bugle softly playing Taps as the jar’s sticky, sweet goodness bled out onto the pavement.

The clock started and the chefs had 1 hour in which to prep, grill, cook, and plate their burger for presentation to the judges. It seems like a long time, but I know firsthand that these timed competitions can easily get the better of you. Suddenly you hear, “Chefs, you have five minutes left!” Frantic mode kicks in but you need to stay focused.

Chef Tom Logsdon’s entry was “The Good Trip” made with a blended beef and mushroom patty, rosemary aioli, beer and butter sautéed onions, green leaf lettuce, and tomato.

Since I was judging, I was unable to take notes on the ingredients and I’m recalling what I can from memory. Chef Bobby Mariner’s entry was a blended mushroom and beef burger topped with a tomato bacon jam, cheese, and shrimp.

Chef Cheryl Cruz’s entry was her take on a Banh Mi sandwich. The burger patty had an Asian flavor profile with hoisin, ginger, scallions, and shiitake mushrooms. She topped it will pickled jicama, watermelon radish, rainbow carrots, onion, and cilantro on a toasted black and white sesame seed bun. It was presented on a banana leaf inside a Chinese steam basket.

Again, since I was judging, I was unable to take notes and recalling ingredients from memory. Chef Alexis Rangel’s entry was a blended mushroom and beef burger with heirloom tomatoes, grilled mushrooms, avocado, and sliced zucchini.

The judges for the Blended Burger Battle were yours truly, Chelsea Madren aka OC Food Diva. I’ve judged several other regional competitions as well as the World Food Championships in 2014 and 2015. As such, the Cheferee let me hold the Golden Ticket! 

Tommy Gomes, fishmonger extraordinaire, from Catalina Offshore Products, was the second judge. Chef Bobby procured the shrimp from him. 

And finally there was Chef Jeffrey Roberto of Sushi on a Roll. He kindly lent his location for the event along with Chef Keoni Simmons to help coordinate the logistics. As a teenager, he apprenticed with the first Japanese sushi bar in San Diego. His knife and hand skills are masterful. You’ll need to come to SOAR one day to watch him work.

After the judges marked their scores, it was time to tally up and announce the winner. Here were my scores and notes:

• Chef Alexis Rangel: Execution – 9, Appearance – 8, Taste – 7 (Notes: Beef mixture was overworked resulting in a tough burger patty. Burger needed a creamy sauce or cheese.)
• Chef Cheryl Cruz: Execution – 9, Appearance – 10, Taste – 9 (Notes: Beef mixture was perfectly blended and had an Asian flavor profile similar to what you might see in Hawaii. Very juicy. The presentation was beautiful! Definitely up to par for World Food Championships. Since her dish was finished after the final whistle blew, she received penalty points.)
• Chef Bobby Mariner: Execution – 8, Appearance – 8, Taste – 9 (Notes: Surf and Turf profile was a great idea. Shrimp were cooked perfectly with a nice snap. The tomato bacon jam was a great idea for flavor and sauce but it overtook the dish. Mushrooms were not detectable in the meat, but I know they were in there. Presentation could use more color like green leaf lettuce either on top or underneath burger to make it pop.)
• Chef Tom Logsdon: Execution – 10, Appearance – 9, Taste – 10 (Notes: This is one of the best burgers I have ever had! It was juicy and hit all of the flavor notes I was looking for. Presentation could have been better by using a nicer plate.)

Chef Tom Logsdon swept the competition with a win from the judges. He received a Golden Ticket to the World Food Championships, Culinary Fight Club Blended Burger Battle trophy, and $200. He also won the people’s choice vote and received a Culinary Fight Club Apron and another $50.

Congratulations, Chef Tom. I look forward to seeing you at the 2016 World Food Championships in Orange Beach Alabama!

For more information:

Culinary Fight Club

¡Se Habla Fresh! Mexican street food coming soon from Puesto in Irvine, California

Puesto, known for its fresh Mexican street food in San Diego, is opening a location in Irvine this fall. With two locations in San Diego near the Gaslamp Quarter and La Jolla, fresh and inventive are just two great words that describe Puesto.

 

Puesto gave us a first look at this popular concept with a pop-up dinner at Manassero Farms Market in Irvine. This location is surrounded by farmland.

Within the market, a courtyard is bright green with beds of fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, mint, and more.

Antique agricultural equipment add to the décor.

On the other side of the courtyard, a small barn-like structure can be used for private events. It is decorated with a country farm motif. It has plenty of room for a bar area, serving stations, and even an outdoor kitchen.

Wooden picnic tables are used for seating for the guests.

Strawberry Margarita is made with Casa Noble Organic Blue Agave Tequila, Manassero Farms organic strawberries, organic lime, and agave. Since the pop-up was on a farm, they were able to use fresh ingredients right from the source. This margarita was fantastic! The sweet, sun-ripened strawberries were balanced with the tangy lime. Casa Noble Tequila provided a smooth drinking experience. Rating: 5/5

Chefs started to prepare dinner on the outdoor flat-top grills.

Tortilla Chips are served with three different sauces. Molcajete Salsa is mild fire-roasted roma tomatoes, jalapeño, and garlic. Tomatillo Roja Salsa is medium intensity tomatillos, chile arbol, and garlic. Spicy Pistachio Jalapeno is Chef Luisteen’s specialty hot salsa made with serrano chilis and garlic.

Mexican Street Bowl made into a jenga-like structure for guests. It was almost too pretty to eat. Stacks of vegetables like jicama and zucchini were intertwined with fruits like pineapple, strawberries, and watermelon and seasoned with chile, sea salt, and lime.

Coctel De Campechana is made with local fish, shrimp, octopus, avocado, salsa campechana, and tajin roasted peanuts. It is a like a tomato-based ceviche with a spicy kick – think gazpacho meets ceviche. Rating: 4.5/5

A variety of Mexican craft beers were also available: CervezaFauna Belgian Blonde, Wendlandt Cerveceria Vaquita Marina Pale Ale, and Agua Mala Sirena Pilsner.

A big wedge of parmesan cheese in Mexican cuisine? You’ll see what it is used on. Keep reading…

Tortilla chips with the three different sauces.

Puesto Perfect Margarita made with Casa Noble Organic Blue Agave Tequila, organic lime, and agave. It really is the perfect traditional margarita! The balance of tequila, lime and agave are perfect! Rating: 5/5

Puesto Perfect Guacamole is made with avocado, parmigiana reggiano, cilantro, onion, fresh squeezed lime and orange, and chile habañero. The parmesan unexpectedly paired perfectly with the guacamole lending its creamy and salty flavor to the mix. The habañero provides a little spicy kick. Rating: 5/5

Mango-Limón Agua Fresca are made daily from scratch in the restaurant. It is sweet and tangy with a slight mango texture. Rating: 4.5/5

Spring Harvest Taco was a special taco inspired by Manassero Farms fresh vegetables and cactus encased in crispy melted cheese topped with avocado and cilantro-tomatillo. This is a great vegetarian option. The crispy cheese adds texture making it almost meaty. The avocado provides a nice creamy texture to round out the dish. Rating: 4.4/5

Chicken Al Pastor Taco is chicken and hibiscus & chipotle tinga encased in crispy melted cheese topped with avocado and piña habañero pico. The chicken is juicy and a tad spicy. The pineapple adds a tropical sweetness and the crispy cheese adds texture. Rating: 4.7/5

Fresh lobster hitting the flattop grill!

Chefs putting the finishing touches to the Maine Lobster Tacos.

Maine Lobster Taco is topped with black beans, crispy onions, avocado, crema de cilantro, and jalapeño pico. The lobster is wonderful but is overshadowed by the pico. The flavors and spices in the pico just take over the taco. I would get the pico on the side if ordering in the restaurant. The crispy onion added a crunchy texture. Rating: 3.3/5

Filet Mignon Taco is filet mignon encased in crispy melted cheese and topped with avocado, spicy pistachio jalapeño. The filet is very tender but a fattier cut of meat like brisket or ribeye would work better. The crispy cheese is just amazing. The crispy texture contrasts well with the creamy avocado. Rating: 4.4/5

Chefs preparing dessert.

Fresas con Crema Torte is a special dessert idea from Pastry Chef Jessica Scott. It is sort of like a layered cake meets panna cotta along with mescal pistachio brittle, raspberry merengue, and jamaica gel. It is amazing! It is a dessert with all of the combinations of flavor and textures you look for in a dessert – cake, mousse, custard, brittle, fresh fruit, sweet, tangy, tart, and creamy. Chef Jessica definitely needs to add this to the regular menu! Rating: 5/5

Credit: Paul Basile of Basile Studio

Sneak peek at the artist rendering of the exterior.

Credit: Paul Basile of Basile Studio

Sneak peek at the artist rendering of the interior.

The restaurant will feature:

• Chefs table
• Indoor/outdoor full service bar specializing in tequila, mezcal, margaritas, and an artisanal take on your favorite tropical cocktails
• Fresh stone ground corn tortillas freshly cooked on a comal throughout the day
• Exhibition kitchen 

Keep this on your foodie list and look for the opening this fall in Irvine!

For more information:
Puesto (inside the Los Olivos Marketplace)

8577 Irvine Center Dr.

Irvine, CA 92618

Parking: Free shopping center parking lot