Build a Better Burger: 2014 Contest Winners

Hundreds of burger recipes were entered, five finalists emerged, and today one burger took home top honors in the 2014 Sutter Home Build a Better Burger Recipe Contest. This year marks the 25th anniversary of our competition, which pairs one of America’s favorite wines with America’s favorite food, the burger!

The setting was a gorgeous Thursday evening on the grounds of Trinchero Family Estates in St. Helena, California. Hosted by James Beard award-winning author and speaker Laura Werlin, a select group of invitees were joined by this year’s panel of judges — Chef Rusty Hamlin, Chef Eric Greenspan, Cristen Clark, Sharon Ufberg, and Tracy Benjamin. (Read more about this esteemed group.)

With five delicious burger recipes in the running – each an impressively creative combination of flavors and textures – the judges had the tough task of choosing their absolute favorite. After several bites of each burger and much deliberation, the 2014 Grand Prize winner was ultimately revealed — The Heart and Seoul of Korea from Harrison Wheeler of Boynton Beach, Florida. Besides burger bragging rights, he claims an impressive $25,000 for his original recipe.

This year’s runner-up recipe was Whistler Village Poutine Burgers from Ann Elkina of Farmington Hills, Michigan, awarded $15,000. For the People’s Choice Award, Priscilla Yee’s recipe most impressed the public, winning the Concord, California retiree $10,000 for her Chorizo Beef Burgers.

Check out the 2014 winner and finalist burger recipes, and if your appetite is whet to submit your original creation to our 2015 Build a Better Burger Recipe Contest, get started here.