Big Fork Takes High Honors for Burgers, Steak at World Food Championships

Our favorite purveyors of bacon sausage brought home the bacon at the annual World Food Championships.

Big Fork Brands founder Lance Avery earned accolades in the Best Burger category at the event. He describes the experience of competing as "organized chaos," but the payoff sure was sweet.

"We were sitting 8th place after the first burger," Avery says. "During the awards they started calling folks up to the stage, starting with number 10 and going to first place. Once we hit 4th, I just assumed we were out. I shot a text to my wife in Chicago saying, 'We're done.' When they called us up as #1, I was in disbelief. The biggest shock in my life, hands down."

The winning burger, called the Chew Before You Inhale, features 21-day dry-aged ribeye ground coarse, blended with butter sautéed royal trumpet mushrooms and portabella powder, topped with Berkwood Bacon, sautéed chanterelles, smashed avocado, lobster mushroom aioli, thick cut heirloom tomato, Wisconsin cheddar cheese, on a buttered potato bun, with a fried pickle spear. Is your mouth watering yet?

Due to the top spot for the Burger, Avery and co. were invited to participate in the Kansas City Steak Co. High Steaks Invitational. Under the pressure of competing in back-to-back events, they pulled off two spectacular steak concepts to high marks.

But Avery says there's no secret formula for success. "All you can do is go into an event with a solid team, have a solid game plan, and execute to the best of your ability on your plan," he says. "Also, read the rules about 15 times." Congrats to Big Fork Brands on this fantastic recognition!