The simple barbecued burger is about to receive its moment in the spotlight with non-stop grilling action.
Corus introduces a Canadian original cooking competition show titled the Big Burger Battle premiering Monday, April 21 on the Flavour Network and Stack TV. Chefs from across North America will compete to win $25,000, an all-inclusive vacation for two, and bragging rights as Big Burger Battle Champion.
So, who will fire up the grill and create Canada’s best burger? Tu Le, owner of the St. Albert-owned Jack’s Burger Shack, is one of seven contestants. In previous competitions and in his restaurant, Le has displayed the chops to create sizzling makeovers that propel him to the finish line.
When the Gazette asked Le what his goal was, he replied, “I want to represent myself, my employees, St. Albert and Edmonton. We don’t get a lot of representation out west and not a lot of recognition, even though we have some pretty good restaurants in Alberta.”
Actor/comedian Andrew Phung (Run the Burbs/Kim’s Convenience) hosts the Big Burger Battle, which was filmed at a Toronto studio.
Although the chefs did not spend a great deal of time interacting with Phung, Le describes him as “a funny, quick guy. I don’t know him personally, but he’s super likeable and funny.”
Phung is joined by food judges Connie DeSousa, a celebrated chef and restaurateur, as well as George Motz, a TV personality and burger scholar.
Throughout the six-episode series, the chefs unleash their creativity in three high-stakes challenges. It begins with the “Fast Food” challenge where they transform a mystery ingredient into a burger worth craving.
Next is the “Burger Bucks” challenge where a delicious $5,000 prize is up for grabs. In this challenge, competitors must craft an outside-the-box burger featuring a special ingredient. To impress the judges, they will have to push their culinary boundaries.
And in the “Big Burger Elimination” challenge, the chefs must create a stunning gourmet burger with a delectable side.
In addition to Le, the burger connoisseur chefs battling it out are Danielle Casario from Vernon River, PEI; Christina Fitzgerald from St. Louis; Stefan Jacob from Terrebonne, Que.; Jae Lee from New York; Marissa Leon-John from Montreal; and Tyler Thrift from New York.
Le has dedicated the past 12 years of his life perfecting burger recipes and running Jack's Burger Shack — one in St. Albert and another in Edmonton.
He first became enamoured with burgers as a six-year-old.
“My family emigrated and in many immigrant families, they took any job they could get. My dad was a labourer and my mum worked in a kitchen,” said Le.
At the end of her shift, his mother was permitted to take leftovers home. And if it was burgers, the young boy was in heaven.
“We ate a lot of vegetables and boiled rice. I would take one bite of a burger with beef, cheese, thousand island dressing, pickles, and in my mind, it was the perfect food.”
Although Le received an education degree from the University of Alberta, he pivoted back to his first love — creating burger recipes and watching people smile when they bit into the juicy, stacked patties.
“It’s hard to make a good burger. I use my life experiences in what I cook. The food tells a story; the beef, the bun, the mustard, the bacon, the sauce. Food evokes emotion, and you see the story behind it. Everything I cook is a reflection of me.”
The Big Burger Battle debuts Monday, April 21 at 7 p.m.
