In Palm Springs, Calif., Michael Symon finds a spicy burger that ignites a four-alarm fire, and a chorizo-pineapple burger sings a perfect harmony of sweet and heat. Oklahoma City boasts cheesy grits with a heaping pile of blood orange- and IPA-braised pork. Finally, a classic Reuben sandwich gets a smoky upgrade, and spicy venison bologna raises the bar on a lunchbox favorite in Denver.
This competition is broken into two categories: The Beef Burger and the Alternative Burger (a burger made of anything besides beef). In each competition, five amateur cooks compete to grill the best burger. The winner of the beef burger competition takes home $50,000 while the alternative winner earns $10,000.