Pirates and burgers just go together for a tight-knit group of Bartlett families and friends. They cooked up the “Pirates of the Grillibbean” team name for the Memphis Burger Fest, tried out versions from May through September, and clobbered the competition.
These masters of the grill are pirates who have a take-no-prisoners attitude when it comes to great burgers.
The team includes Brandie, Nathan, Karen, Craig and Asa Elliott of Barlett; Kim, Adam and Jake Millington of Bartlett; Preston Randolph of Bartlett; Janet Barry of Bartlett; Carolyn, Andy and Steve Waymire of Bartlett; Tiffany and Jeff Tillghman of Olive Branch, Miss.; and Heather and Justin Wall of Mason.
Vegas bound
Now they’re on their way to the big leagues in Las Vegas with their recipe and pirate hats, and they still can hardly believe it. People who sample their burger have asked where their restaurant is. The team members just laugh and say they’re amateurs.
But they are very, very good amateurs.
They are among four Mid-South teams competing in the $300,000 World Food Championships in Las Vegas Nov. 12-18. The event will feature almost 500 of the world’s best cooks and chefs, putting average Joes and total pros on an equal playing field to win cash and the coveted title of the third annual World Food Champion.
Following a tournament-style format across nine iconic food categories — BBQ, chili, burger, sandwich, recipe, dessert, bacon, pasta and seafood — competitors will battle for their chance to claim the top title.
The Pirates hope they win, but they plan on having fun even if they don’t.
“We show our love and affection through food,” said Brandie Elliott of Bartlett. “The burger competition was perfect for us, because we were going to get together anyway.”
Local winners
They earned a spot in the Las Vegas competition by outcooking the Memphis competition.
After winning first place in the “Anything But Beef” category of the Memphis Burger Fest last year, they couldn’t resist taking on more competition in 2014.
This year, they brought home three first-place honors as best burger for their signature Cheesey Weavey, a Bloody Mary made with pureed green tomatoes, and another win in the “Anything But” category.
They also earned a rent-free space at next year’s Memphis Burger Fest because they raised $504, the most money for the fest’s charities (the Streetdog Foundation, Tunica Humane Society and Fayette County Animal Rescue).
They also donated $300 of their prize money back to the causes.
They are pet lovers who approved of the competition’s charity aspect, and the team members have had their eyes on winning the competition since the beginning.
“From Day 1, Andy figured out the burger he wanted to do, and he said, ‘I’m gonna win it,’” Brandie said.
They tried different cheeses before settling on homemade pimiento cheese as the burger topping, buttered restaurant buns toasted on the grill, and fresh hamburger and thick-cut bacon from Charlie’s Meat Market (4790 Summer Ave., Memphis).
And while they won’t reveal the recipe for the meat mixture or the pimiento cheese, they do offer a clue to other cooks on what makes their woven mats of bacon so delicious — a sprinkling of brown sugar.
If they win again, their plan is to head out for a beach vacation … and a meal of anything but burgers for a while.
See more at worldfoodchampionships.com or Facebook.com/WorldFoodChampionships, or follow the event’s Twitter feed (@WorldFoodChamp). The local event is at bestmemphisburgerfest.com/.
Written by Carolyn Bahm, Express editor. Contact her at (901) 433-9138 or via mail to bartlett.editor@journalinc.com.
