What makes the perfect burger?
That question was answered at the inaugural Elim Shores Burger Battle on July 13, 2023. With a winning recipe that included an olive tapenade, fried eggplant and plenty of cheese on a juicy patty, Bruce the cook and Ty the maintenance worker at Elim Shores emerged victorious.
Discerning Judges
The event brought together guest judges from the Eden Prairie community and Cassia to determine the winners, making it a truly exciting and delicious occasion for everyone involved.
Eden Prairie Mayor Ron Case and Eden Prairie Police Department representatives Lt. Jennifer Ficcadenti and Capt. Chris Wood represented the city. Chief Operating Officer Matthew Kern represented Cassia.
“Thank you so much to our guest judges who so willfully took the time out of their busy schedules to join us for this awesome event,” Elim Shores Housing Director Jason Nelson said.
“What a fantastic event,” Matthew added. “The burgers were gourmet and absolutely delicious.”
Top-notch Teams
The competition was fierce as several Elim Shores staff members formed teams to compete. Deb and Derek, Ryan and Si, and Guilber and Jason faced off against the winning duo, Bruce and Ty.
Each team made 12 burgers cut into quarters. Each judge received a quarter of each burger. The residents also received a quarter of each burger served with French fries. Had there been a tie, residents would have voted to decide the winners.
“Thank you to our burger cooks who worked so hard to make yummy burgers, and for the staff who worked together to make this event so fun and exciting,” Jason said.
Even though the residents did not ultimately factor into the decision of who won, they still had fun.
“My favorite part was seeing and hearing the residents share their joy with one another as we sampled each chef’s tasty burger,” Matthew said.
Bragging Rights and More
Aside from earning the title of local burger royalty, the winners had the unique privilege of joining the judges to douse the losing teams with a bucket of ice water. The camaraderie and playful atmosphere made the event memorable for all, creating lasting memories for both participants and spectators.
“It was a riot and a day we will never forget,” Jason said.
A Team Effort
Many people came together to make the event a success.
“This was all the brain child of Ryan, our culinary director, and Kelsey, our life enrichment director,” Jason said. “I just turned it up a bunch of notches to increase the fun factor.”
Matthew shared appreciation for everyone who participated.
“A huge thank you to the team at Elim Shores for bringing the community together for this memorable event,” Matthew said.
The entire team at Elim Shores deserves credit for their hard work in bringing the community together for this unforgettable occasion.
