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Restaurant Road Trip – Part 2: Miami, FL

April 9, 2018
8 min. read

SOBEWFF® Recap

February 21-25, Martin’s was a sponsor of the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival in Miami, Florida. This 5-day festival consists of dozens of unique tasting events, themed dinners, and special activities; hundreds of chefs, restaurateurs, and culinary experts; and numerous Food Network and Cooking Channel stars and celebrity chefs.

Todd Bixby, Martin’s Director of Sales Operations; and Wendy Cowan, Martin’s Marketing Manager at the SOBEWFF® Coca-Cola Beachside BBQ hosted by Michael Symon event
Todd Bixby,
Martin’s Director of Sales Operations; and Wendy Cowan,
Martin’s Marketing Manager at the SOBEWFF® Coca-Cola Beachside BBQ hosted by Michael Symon event

The Burger Bash®

Burger Bash Entrance

Martin’s had the privilege of sponsoring one of the most popular events, the Heineken Light Burger Bash presented by Schweid & Sons hosted by Guy Fieri. The Burger Bash® is a competition between more than 30 chefs and restaurateurs, to see who can cook up the “Very Best Burger.” The event was a walk-around tasting where attendees had the opportunity to sample each burger creation and vote on their favorite.

The team with the most votes was awarded the “Heineken Light People’s Choice Award.” This year, the award went to Swine Southern Table & Bar for their “Swine Burger,” a short rib, brisket, and chuck blend with house-smoked pork belly, American cheese, and house pickles with a special sauce on a Martin’s Potato Roll.

In addition, a panel of six celebrity judges awarded the judges’ choice “The Schweid & Sons Very Best Burger Award” to Food Network Chef Alex Guarnaschelli’s restaurant Butter, for their “2 Mikes Burger,” a blackened all-beef cheeseburger with Applewood bacon jam and jalapeno & sunchoke relish on a Martin’s Potato Roll.

Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri (center) announcing the winning burgers of the 2018 SOBEWFF® Burger Bash®
Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri (center) announcing the winning burgers of the 2018 Burger Bash®, with SOBEWFF® Founder Lee Brian Schrager (second from left), event coordinator Randy Fisher (right of Fieri), members of the judges’ panel, and event participants/attendees.

Some other delicious burgers served on Martin’s Potato Rolls at the event include:

  • “Bacon Jam Smash Burger” from All Things Barbecue
  • “The Hard Times Signature Burger” from Andrew’s Roadside Hamburgers by Hard Times Sundaes
  • “Burger Supreme Burger” from Burger Supreme
  • “Lamb Burger” from BadMaash
  • “Fourth Time’s a ‘Charm’” (on a Martin’s Big Marty Roll) from Charm City
  • “Baby’s Favorite” from Cheeseburger Baby
  • “Ño Burger” from Chefs on the Run Assorted Cuisine
  • “Not Abuelos Fritas” from El Gringo de las Fritas
  • “LPG Cheeseburger” from La Petite Grocery
  • “Tempura Ribeye Burger” from Chef Morimoto
  • “Pig Beach Burger” from Pig Beach
  • “Pinch Vaquero” from Pinch Kitchen
  • “Proof Burger” from Proof
  • “QMMBBBB” from Quality Meats Miami Beach
  • “The Jerk Man” from Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews
  • “Smoked Cheddar Shack” from Shake Shack
  • “Animal Burger” from The Beatrice Inn 

Click through the slideshow below to view the delicious burger creations!

 

Coca-Cola Beachside BBQ

Martin’s was also a sponsor of the Coca-Cola Beachside BBQ hosted by Michael Symon, another walk-around tasting event located right on the beach! Among the many delicious barbecue creations, there were eight dishes using Martin’s Potato Rolls, ranging from pulled pork, to brisket sliders, to BBQ wagyu beef.

A few of these include:

  • “Montreal-Smoked Pulled Pork” from Babe’s Meat & Counter
  • “West Tennessee Whole Hog Sandwiches” from Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint
  • “BBQ Berkshire Sammie with Pink Slaw” from Miami Smokers Urban Smokehouse
  • “Cherrywood-Smoked Pork Belly Burnt End Sliders” from Operation BBQ Relief
  • “Ribwich” from Pig Beach
  • “BBQ Wagyu Beef Short Rib” from Prime 112
  • “Certified Angus Beef Bar-B-Q” from Red, The Steakhouse
  • “Pig Face, Fermented Slaw, Mezcal BBQ Sauce” from Restaurant Marc Forgione

When the Martin’s team stopped to talk to Stan Hays from Operation BBQ Relief, they found out that Stan’s organization uses more than 6500 volunteers to deliver meals to areas where national disasters have struck. In just 248 days of deployment of Operation BBQ Relief they have provided more than 1.7 million hot meals in disaster areas.  They partner with local ministry of these areas to ensure that the meals are going to people who are most in need. As a family company, we value the work that people like Operation BBQ Relief do and we were honored to learn of their mission.

There are numerous charities and non-profits that come to SOBEWFF® to participate in the events to help raise awareness. Over the past few years, Martin’s has had the opportunity to meet organizations who make the world better through their passion of food like No Kid Hungry, the Florida International University (FIU) Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management (which is the Festival’s beneficiary for which SOBEWFF® has raised more than $28 million to date), and Operation BBQ Relief.  We treasure these connections and stories because Martin’s mission encompasses more than just baking the best bread and providing good American jobs. We also believe in giving back to the community and the world around us.

Check out some of the delicious barbecue recipes below!


“Montreal Smoked Pulled Pork on Baked Black Beans” from Babe’s Meat & Counter

“West Tennessee Whole Hog Sandwiches”
from Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint

“BBQ Berkshire Sammie with Pink Slaw” from Miami Smokers Urban Smokehouse

“Cherrywood-Smoked Pork Belly Burnt End Sliders” from Operation BBQ Relief

“Ribwich”
from Pig Beach

“BBQ Wagyu Beef Short Rib”
from Prime 112
“Certified Angus Beef Bar-B-Q”
from Red, The Steakhouse

“Pig Face, Fermented Slaw, Mezcal BBQ Sauce” from Restaurant Marc Forgione

 

Other Events

A few restaurants used Martin’s rolls for other events at the festival as well. Shake Shack participated in the BACARDÍ presents Walshy Fire’s Rum & Bass Beach Party with their “BBQ Chick’n” sandwich on Martin’s 12-Sliced Potato Rolls. Barn Bites (pop-up sister restaurant to just-opened COOP Miami) used Martin’s Party Potato Rolls for their “Ave Maria Pulled Pork Sandwich” at the Grand Tasting event (link).


Miami Burger Tour

While the restaurants and chefs that participated in the Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine & Food Festival Heineken Light Burger Bash came from all across the country, some of them did not have to travel very far—a handful of restaurants were actually local to Miami! Two of these restaurants were even award winners at the event—Swine Southern Table & Bar, winner of Heineken Light People’s Choice Award, and Barley, winner of Red Robin’s “Best of the Bash”—proving that Miami is home to some really great burgers! For more info, check out this event recap. Other Miami restaurant participants included Chefs on the Run and Cheeseburger Baby (both of which used Martin’s rolls at the event). For the full list, see this article.

About Swine Southern Table & Bar

2415 Ponce De Leon Blvd, Miami, FL.

Swine Southern Table and Bar, along with its sister restaurants Yardbird and Spring Chicken, actually happen to be food service customers of Martin’s; they use our rolls regularly at their restaurants! All three restaurants are owned and operated by 50 Eggs Inc., a “culinary and hospitality firm focused on developing cutting-edge brands with unparalleled dining experiences,” founded by John Kunkel.

Swine Southern Table & Bar, located in Coral Gables, FL, offers an innovative take on classic Southern cuisine with traditional fare like burgers (like the winning “Swine Burger”), barbecue, and shrimp and grits. Learn more at http://www.runpigrun.com.

Follow Swine Southern on social media at:

Yard Bird Table & Bar "Swine Burger"
The Swine Burger

“The meat is a specialty blend of short rib, brisket and chuck, topped with house-smoked pork belly and covered in melty American cheese. It’s served on a Martin’s Potato Roll, which any burger lover knows is the gold standard for burger buns.”
– Miami Herald (in reference to Swine Southern’s winning “Swine Burger”)

 

About Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

1600 Lenox Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33139.

Yardbird is located in Miami Beach, with additional locations in Las Vegas (at The Venetian), Singapore, and Beverly Hills (coming soon). Yardbird Southern Table & Bar is another take on regional southern cuisine, self-described as “a tribute to…nurturing dishes made with love and pride…to farm-fresh ingredients, classic Southern cooking, culture and hospitality.”

At Yardbird, you’ll find classic Southern dishes like fried green tomatoes and buttermilk biscuits, with a special emphasis on their famous fried chicken. You can also find the always-popular “Swine Burger” on their menu as well. Learn more at http://www.runchickenrun.com.

The Martin’s team members who attended SOBEWFF® had the opportunity to stop by Yardbird while in Miami to chat with Chef Elliot Gonzalez and taste the famous “Swine Burger,” winner of SOBEWFF® Burger Bash® Heineken Light People’s Choice Award. The Swine Burger is made from a three-meat blend of short rib, brisket, and chuck, topped with house-smoked pork belly, American cheese, house pickles, and special sauce, and served on a Martin’s Sandwich Potato Roll.

Chef Elliot Gonzalez of 50 Eggs’ Yardbird delivering The Swine Burger to a table
Chef Elliot Gonzalez of 50 Eggs’ Yardbird delivering The Swine Burger to a table

Chef Elliot told the Martin’s team a bit more about the “Swine Burger,” saying that he developed the burger in Las Vegas and they worked hard on getting the perfect combination of meats and experimenting with various toppings. He said at one point it had additional toppings but it was a bit too heavy, but now the current combination is perfect.  And obviously so! It was the top burger at the Burger Bash.

Follow Yardbird on social media at:

 

About Spring Chicken

1514 South Dixie Highway, Coral Gables, FL 33146

Spring Chicken is located in Coral Gables, FL, and serves similar Southern-style cuisine with an emphasis on quality ingredients, locally-sourced produce, and “from scratch” cooking. Here, you’ll find delicious menu items such as chicken and waffles, “The Yardbird” crispy chicken sandwich, the “Backyard BBQ” sandwich, and of course their signature “Swine Burger.” Learn more at http://www.eatspringchicken.com.

Follow Spring Chicken on social media at:

Yardbird’s famous Chicken and Waffles
Yardbird’s famous Chicken and Waffles

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