3 minute read
Secret Behind Griffins Hotel's Burger Success
by Boylen
MAJOR EVENT PARTNER : THOMAS FOODS INTERNATIONAL
The humble hamburger has come a long way since the 70s when “two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun” was the benchmark for a generation.
These days, the beef will ideally be wagyu.
‘Special’ sauce means dill or garlic aioli, pepper mayo or chimichurri. Beerenberg anyone?
Plain cheese won’t cut it.
Smoked cheddar is the entry level fromage but you should consider gouda or provolone dolce.
If you’re going with onions, they might want to be caramelised or turned into a jam.
And that sesame seed bun has hopefully evolved into a brioche, an artisanal potato or Turkish burger bun.
Then there are the optional extras.
When it comes to burgers, beetroot, egg and even pickles will polarise any hungry room.
The lettuce not so much but cos at a minimum or a mesclun mix.
There’s bacon, gypsy or maple, smoked once, twice or as often as deemed necessary.
Add roasted peppers for something completely different.
The AHA|SA Thomas Foods Burger Challenge grand champion is … The Griffins Hotel!.
And if you’re brave enough, try embracing jalapeños or tzatziki but never together.
All of these ingredients and more were on show as Adelaide’s best hamburger chefs faced a cook off for the title of the AHA SA Thomas Foods Burger Challenge grand champion.
The Griffins Hotel’s Luke Brabin outflipped them all to be crowned the burger king and not for the first time – it was his third win in the challenge.
Entrants were judged on their burger’s taste (50 per cent weighting), presentation (30 per cent), quality of meat content (10 per cent) and value for money (10 per cent).
All burgers had to cost no more than $30 (including GST) and be available to order throughout the pub.
Luke’s Mayura Station Wagyu Beef Burger sells for $26 and also includes smoked Barossa bacon, ketchup, chimmi, pickles, tomatoes, cos and cheese.
But there’s a secret ingredient he thinks lifts his burger to another level.
“You know how as a kid when you got a cheeseburger you used to chuck chips inside it?” Luke mused.
“I actually do these fried, crispy potatoes and they go in the burger bun.
“It’s just a play on a childhood memory of having your fries in your cheeseburger and it works well – it gives it a bit of crunch.”
Burger orders at The Griffins have been relentless since Luke’s gong.
“It’s always the case for the first couple of months. It’s really good for business.”
Luke is an executive chef and part owner of the rapidly expanding Your Say Group which launched with The Griffins in April, 2023.
He began cooking at a young age with his grandmother and has worked under some of the greats such as Cheong Liew, Simon Bryant and Gordon Ramsay.
But he was headed down a very different path before deciding to abandon a law degree.
“Some days I wished I finished it but it wasn’t for me.
“This job has taken me all over the world – I lived in China for a long time, Japan, Russia, Singapore so it’s been good.
“It was something I always wanted to do to be honest.”
For the fist time in 2025 the AHA|SA also ran a Peoples Choice online vote, promoted by the 12 hotel finalist venues.
