First annual Burger Badanga a big success
Despite a blackout plaguing most of the Waterloo Region, Uptown Waterloo bar Chainsaw Saloon and the Bauer Kitchen were still able to successfully run the first annual Burger Badanga which raised money for Habitat for Humanity.
On Feb. 29 local eateries, Frat Burger, The Bauer Kitchen, Uptown 21 and Hogtails met at Chainsaw to take part in a friendly burger competition.
The participants and representatives for Habitat for Humanity who bought tickets to the event, sampled burgers from each enterprise and then voted on which burger they thought was the best.
Little Mushroom Catering supplied hors d’oeuvres, while The Flying Monkey provided the alcohol. Drew Leith and The Foundation acted as entertainment for the evening, alternating between performing songs and emceeing.
Ryan Good, owner of Chainsaw, began organizing the event with Matt Kendrick, the head butcher at Bauer Kitchen, in October. They then got in contact with other burger enterprises that they both were friends with and were also passionate about the community. After much discussion, Good and Kendrick settled upon Habitat for Humanity as their charity, as they represent togetherness and continued goodness.
“It’s a local charity and they do great things for the community,” Good explained. “During these economic times, housing is essential and its only going to get worse.”
“This time of year, especially in the winter time, Habitat for the community has been getting people in housing and whatnot and that is the perfect thing right now. We wanted to make tonight a fun night and donate all the proceeds to the charity,” Kendrick added.
The event took place on the Leap Day. Both Good and Kendrick claim that the decision to have the charity event on the Leap Day was not arbitrary, as it emphasizes not only a unique change in the month, but also a change for one to make in regards to charity involvement.
One patron, Susan Prange, won her ticket to the Burger Badanga through a contest on Facebook and she happily attended the event to support Habitat for Humanity. For Prange, the charity and the event itself demonstrate the first step of changing the world on a smaller scale.
“If you don’t have locals donating and doing things for the local community, then the community can’t help the broader community of the world. You have to start at home first,” Prange reasoned.
On a much lighter topic, Prange began to put in her predictions about who would win the burger competition that evening.
Although she is a big fan of the food that is served at Bauer Kitchen, Prange noted that the burgers from Hogtails are just as appetizing.
After four rounds of eating the different burgers, the night ended with Hogtails winning the competition based on the judges’ choice, while Uptown 21 won based on the participants’ choice. However, Good claims that there will be a second annual Burger Badanga for new winners in 2013.
“We’re going to do another Burger Badanga next year. It might not always be the same businesses, but we’re always going to be doing this,” Good concluded.
