Over the last decade, burgers have seen a shift in identity. From on-the-go fast food to carefully handcrafted, gourmet experiences, chefs all over the world are using the concept of the burger to showcase their creativity and skill. Every year, the city hosts the ‘Burger Wellington’ contest to promote Wellington’s F&B sector and encourage tourism. During this festival (as per their website) this is a chance for, “...the region's chefs get down to business creating the ultimate burger, exploring everything weird and wonderful that fits between two buns." And this year, an unexpected familiar from the streets of Goa has made its debut.
Video Credit: Fatima's Kitchen/YouTube
The theme for this year was ‘Breaking The Mould’ and around 11,500 burger enthusiasts flocked to the festival to sample the unique creations of chefs around the city. Though there were dozens of flavours to choose from, one winner emerged in the form of the Goan Chicken Ros Pao created by Chef Chetan Pangam of One80 Restaurant.
This burger was inspired by Chef Pangam’s home state of Goa featuring a “tender chicken and an omelette, all simmered in a flavorful curry and nestled within a traditional take on a poee bun. It was an incredibly close competition among the finalists,” According to the One80 Restaurant page, the burger was made up of, "Chicken, with omelette, Zany Zeus onion yoghurt, Kāpiti Kānuka smoked havarti, in a Goan Poee bun, with vindaloo spiced chips,” and if that doesn’t make you hungry, we don’t know what will!
"The One80 Restaurant burger was a real flavour journey that brought together the fragrant herbs and spices of India, it's an absolute pleasure to see Chef Chetan and the team take the title this year," said Sarah Meikle, the festival director in conversation with a New Zealand news outlet.
For those not in the know, Ros Omelet (or Ross Omelette depending on where you are in the world) is a popular street food in Goa and is usually served at small stalls anytime of the day or night. It comprises a thin omelette, soaked in curry and then served between poee bread buns. It was conceived as an effective way to get rid of last night’s curry at breakfast, or use up all the remnants of your lunchtime Xacuti as a midnight snack. This beloved ‘jugaad’ dish has been around since the 1970s and now it seems to be making a name for itself on the international stage as well.