As announced on today's Big Show, Iowa’s beef producers are asking their fellow Iowans to help find Iowa’s Best Burger in 2019. In this year’s quest, the Iowa Beef Industry Council (IBIC) and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA) are encouraging you to nominate your favorite burger, whether it’s gourmet or down-home style.
This is the tenth year the two groups are holding the annual Iowa’s Best Burger contest, which officially kicked off February 11, 2019. During the first phase of the contest, Iowans are encouraged to nominate their favorite burger before March 11, 2019. At that point, the 10 restaurants with the most nominations will be visited by a secret panel of judges, who will determine the ultimate winner. The 2019 Best Burger in Iowa will be announced on May 1, 2019 with the kick-off of May Beef Month in Iowa.
Details about the contest, rules, and the voting form are available on the Iowa Beef Industry Council’s website here. Burger lovers can also find a link to the online nomination form at the Iowa Beef Council Facebook page ; or by texting BEEF to 313131. Photos of your favorite burger can be shared socially using #IABestBurger. The nomination period will close at 5 p.m. on March 11, 2019.
To qualify to be named Iowa’s Best Burger, the burger must be a 100% beef patty and served on a bun or bread product.
Restaurants can download a digital toolkit including promotional materials for the contest from IBIC’s website to promote the contest to their customers. The promotional materials can be used in the restaurants, online, or on social media.
“Funded by the Iowa State Beef Checkoff Program, this event has been a great way to showcase Iowa restaurants who are serving great beef and Iowa beef farmers who continually producing a wholesome and nutritious product for consumers,” says Janine Moore, chairman of the Iowa Beef Industry Council. “This collaboration between the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association and the Iowa Beef Industry Council is a great opportunity to promote Iowa’s beef industry which generates an estimated $6.3 billion in economic activity in the state.”
In 2018, nearly 10,000 nominations from around 700 restaurants were received in the contest. The final winners in previous years are: 2018 – Café Baudelaire, Ames; 2017 – The Smokin’ Hereford BBQ, Storm Lake; 2016 – The Chuckwagon Restaurant, Adair; 2015 – The Cider House, Fairfield; 2014 – Brick City Grill, Ames; 2013 – 61 Chop House Grille, Mediapolis; 2012 – Coon Bowl III, Coon Rapids; 2011 – Rusty Duck, Dexter; 2010 – Sac County Cattle Company, Sac City. A restaurant can only claim the title of “Iowa’s Best Burger” once.