Adam Rawson, who was formerly head chef at Peruvian site Pachamama and is now pursuing his own restaurant and pop-up plans, won the annual competition with his ‘Global Traveller’ creation, which included an aged Basque beef patty, truffle aioli, wild rocket, balsamic onions, pancetta and gorgonzola.
Rawson also won the contest last year, with a creation of ‘pan con chicharron’, with an aged beef patty, demi brioche bun, pork belly chicharron, aji Amarillo mayonnaise, mature cheddar and avocado.
This year’s contest was hosted at The Botanist in Broadgate Circle in London, by journalist and food writer Joe Warwick.
The four-person judging panel comprised Jamie Klingler, publishing manager of Shortlist magazine’s Mr Hyde and founder of National Burger Day; food writer, restaurant critic and author Andy Lynes; associate editor of Foodism Mike Gibson; and deputy editor of The Wharf magazine, Jon Massey.
The runners up were Robbin Holmgren, head chef at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen in second place, and Sameer Taneja, executive chef at new Indian-style restaurant Talli Joe, in third place.
Holmgren’s burger included an Iberico pork patty, crispy pig's jowl, apple slaw, fermented plum BBQ sauce, dill pickles and quince mustard. Taneja’s creation was named Desi Slider, and featured a banana blossom and black chickpea patty inside a bao bun, with fenugreek curried mayo, kachumber slaw, saag, and ‘in-house packeted’ crisps.
Holmgren was also crowned the ‘People’s Choice Winner’ after members of the public at the event chose his burger creation as their favourite.
Other restaurants with slider entries included The Botanist Broadgate Circle, Ember Yard, Maze Grill, Tom’s Kitchen, Balans Soho Society, Hixter, Nanban, Cha Chaan Teng, Comptoir Libanais, Street Kitchen, Crab Tavern, Smokin’Buns, and Dickie Fitz.