'Battle Of The Burgers' Contest Planned At Pechanga Resort Saturday

TEMECULA, CA — This week, some of Southwest Riverside County's finest chefs are combining forces with high school culinary arts students to benefit a worthy cause. It's been almost four years since the Battle of the Burgers was fought at the Pechanga Resort Casino.

On Saturday, from 12 to 3 p.m. the friendly competition gives local restaurants a chance to tout the title of “Best Burger” in the Temecula Valley. Tickets are available via this link: gofan.co/event/1302430?schoolId=CA8056. Student and senior pricing is available.

The event is a collaborative effort between Visit Temecula Valley, Pechanga Resort Casino, and the Temecula Valley Unified School District (TVUSD), according to a recent news release.

All funds benefit the Temecula Valley Unified School District Career Technical Education (CTE) Culinary Arts Program, which engages students in hands-on, interactive, work-based learning to help prepare them for high-skill, high-wage, and in-demand careers, according to Jimmy Evans, spokesperson for the TVUSD.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for cooks is expected to steadily increase as new restaurants continue to open and people continue eating out. The U.S. restaurant industry will need approximately 1.4 million cooks by 2026, making CTE classes in the culinary arts even more important for students.

The President and CEO of Visit Temecula Valley weighed in on the coming event and what visitors can expect.

“The Battle of the Burgers is not only incredibly fun, but it also helps our local school district cultivate a new generation of chefs,” Wilson said. “As Temecula tourism continues to grow, there is a strong need for chefs and hospitality workers. Our school district is on the forefront of a movement to increase work-based learning programs for high school students, which is great for local businesses and tourism.”

The afternoon promises to be full of unique and tasty samplings. Nearly a dozen Temecula Valley restaurants are expected to participate. Five judges are putting their taste buds to the test and select the top three winners. They include:

• Palm Springs Insider – Kathy Condon, Editor/Writer
• San Diego Union-Tribune – Pam Kragen, Chief Dining, Arts & Entertainment Editor
• Temecula Foodies – Priscilla Tapia, Founder
• Executive Chef – Andre Pinto, Pechanga Resort Casino
• Temecula Patch – Ashley Ludwig, Southern California Editor

High school culinary arts students will partner with executive chefs from Pechanga Resort Casino and develop unique “Loaded Fries” recipes, according to the release.

Chef-student teams will compete for both “Judges Choice” and “People’s Choice” awards. The “Loaded Fries” competition offers culinary students a unique opportunity to engage with a professional chef.

Andre Pinto, executive chef of Pechanga Resort Casino and judge at the event described why the resort is hosting this fun and flavorful contest.

“Pechanga has a long history of giving back to the community,” Pinto said. “The Battle of the Burgers brings giving back to another level where working chefs can impart their knowledge and skills on the next generation entering the culinary world. The event is as great for the students as it is for our chefs. Both gain valuable insights and come away from the event with even more real-world know-how.”

The last Battle of the Burgers competition, which was held before the start of the pandemic in 2019, sold out with 400 guests in attendance.

Tickets for the January 2024 event are still available as of this report.

Tim Dignan, Director of Career Technical Education for TVUSD weighed in on what this event means to the students in TVUSD programs.

“Temecula Valley Unified School District is excited for the return of the Battle of the Burgers at Pechanga Resort Casino,” Dignan said. “It is a tremendous community event that provides professional mentorship for our culinary arts students while raising funds to support our culinary program. Funds are used to pay for our students’ industry certifications, culinary field trips, and other work-based learning opportunities.”