Owensboro Burger Week wrapped up its most delicious year yet, with a surprise ending! A record 40 restaurants across Owensboro and Daviess County battled it out for "Best Burger" honors, offering creative $7 specialties from March 1st to 9th.
The unexpected twist? A tie! After a blind taste test, judges couldn't pick just one champion. Both Basil's Food Truck and J's Good Grub, two mobile eateries, impressed the 14-person panel with their unique burgers, scoring a near-perfect 92.43 out of 100 points each.
The judging focused on three key areas: how the burger looked, how well it was prepared, and of course, the all-important taste (worth up to 50 points!).
Dave Kirk, representing the Owensboro-Daviess County Convention & Visitors Bureau, highlighted the rarity of a tie. "With so many possible scoring combinations, it's incredible we ended up with joint winners!" he said.
J's Good Grub, celebrating their win shortly before Tuesday lunch at Owensboro Community & Technical College, couldn't hide their excitement. Antoinette Johnson, co-owner with her husband Jay, described Burger Week as a "whole different ball game" but was thrilled with the top prize, especially considering they had to close early on the final day due to illness.
"It's tough running a family business," she admitted. "We pushed through as long as we could, but with sick kids, we had to take Saturday off. Still, this win is amazing! It shows that hard work pays off."
Johnson believes their "Dirty Diana" burger stood out thanks to its unique Cajun ranch sauce with a bourbon twist, topped with Cajun fries. "For Burger Week," she explained, "we streamlined things and combined the sauces. It was a game-changer!"
Basil's Food Truck, co-owned by Cameron Anderson and Tatum Helm, received their co-championship news Tuesday evening. Just two months old, the win felt even sweeter considering they also run a catering business, Camcooks4u.
"It's surreal," Anderson said. "We've been pouring our hearts into this, and winning feels incredible. I've spent 17 years in fine dining, and every day with the food truck brings new challenges, but this award after just two months? Unbelievable!"
The secret weapon for Basil's "KY Dip Burger"? Its unconventional presentation - nestled between toasted sourdough bread - and the unique Green River Bourbon au jus dipping sauce.
Owensboro Burger Week proved to be a delicious success, and with two amazing champions, there's even more reason to celebrate!