Chef Stephen Wilson and his team at Mill River Experience were crowned champions on Thursday of the annual April ritual that sees Island restaurants filled with burger-loving people.
Wilson’s burger was called the Beefy Vixen, which featured a beef patty with ground bacon and smoked paprika lime aioli.
Related: Burger Love a boom for P.E.I. meat markets, while seafood suppliers' sales dip
Normally, the winning chef is at the press conference where the winner is revealed but Wilson and his family, who were en route, didn’t make it in time to hear the announcement.
“We were running a bit behind and my wife was driving so I decided to go on Twitter just to check every detail that was coming out (of the press conference),’’ Wilson told The Guardian after arriving. “I found out that we won and I freaked out a little bit. It was awesome.’’
In 2011 when Fresh Media launched Burger Love, the 14 participating restaurants sold 5,517 burgers.
This year, 84 participating restaurants served 184,397 burgers and it’s likely many will remain on the menu at those restaurants for the months to come even though Burger Love is history.
Burger sales amounted to $4.09 million in 31 days.
Wilson gets a plaque for winning.
“Just to know that people loved your burger is fantastic. That’s all I need.’’
A grand total of 78,000 pounds of P.E.I. beef was consumed, music to the ears of the P.E.I. Cattle Producers Association.
“It’s huge for the P.E.I. cattle producers,’’ Jeremy Stead, vice-chairman of the association said of Burger Love. “Once people get that taste of Island beef they want it all year round (and) that’s what it’s about for us, to promote the Island beef and keep (people) buying it all year round.’’
Wilson said it’s the first time he’s taken part ion Burger Love in Mill River. They sold 2,676 burgers.
“I took part in (Burger Love) when I was in Charlottetown. I didn’t really know what to expect up in Mill River. Small community up there but they got behind us and it went great. Burger Love has grown to be something fantastic over the years.’’
Related: Promotion tough love for some P.E.I. burger chefs
Wilson said he started thinking about what kind of burger he would design for the competition right around last year’s Burger Love.
As part of the event this year, 36 of the participating restaurants donated $1 for each burger sold in April to the United Way of P.E.I. That amounts to $63,560.
By the numbers
Burgers sold by year
2011 - 5,517
2012 – 16,150
2013 – 46,204
2014 – 92,168
2015 – 145,527
2016 – 163,170
2017 – 184,397
