7th Annual Homegrown Chef’s Burger Showdown Returns October 16th
7th Annual Homegrown Chef’s Burger Showdown Brings San Antonio’s Juiciest Battle Back to Cherrity Bar
What:
Guests are encouraged to come hungry to Homegrown Chef’s Burger Showdown 7.0, which returns Friday, Oct. 16, bringing some of San Antonio’s most talented chefs together for a night of outrageous burgers, friendly competition and a good cause.
Now in its seventh year, the Burger Showdown has become an annual celebration of San Antonio’s culinary community, challenging local chefs to take one of America’s favorite foods and make it entirely their own. Guests get to taste a slider-sized creation from each competing chef, enjoy regular or fantastic “Greek-style” fries made by San Antonio’s own Modern Chili Queen Diana Anderson, as well as a scrumptious dessert from local sponsor, Lily’s Cookies, then help determine who walks away with the coveted People’s Choice Best Burger title.
And if this year’s burgers are any indication, choosing a favorite won’t be easy. The lineup ranges from Chef Joseph Casanova’s “Mark of the Beast,” featuring cold-smoked bison and venison and boar and bacon patties with smoked goat cheese, fermented pickles and smoked tomato-truffle jam, to Chef Phillip Gonyea’s “Big Red Yokozuna Burger,” a Krazy Katsu spin on San Antonio’s beloved barbacoa-and-Big-Red tradition. Chef Erica Rodriguez is bringing Cuban flavor with her “La Quintana Frita Burger,” while Chef Jerrel Williams goes Korean with the “Je Ju Burger,” featuring slow-braised beef, housemade kimchi, Bulgogi BBQ sauce and an orange crispy sushi rice crisp. And the list goes on.
“I tell the chefs to be creative and really go for it, and every year they somehow manage to surprise us,” said Kimberly Suta, creator and producer of the Burger Showdown. “I’m really proud we’ve managed to keep this grassroots chef-forward event going for so many years, especially since it all sparked from chefs talking smack on Facebook. But it’s really become a beloved event — a chance to showcase the incredible culinary talent we have in San Antonio, bring the food community together and raise money for an organization doing meaningful work in our own backyard.”
Chef LineUp:
This year’s culinary competitors include Chef Stephannie Beyers of Mexico Ceaty; Chef Joseph Casanova of The Local Void, the 2025 People’s Choice winner; Chef Jared Cattoni of Dos Sirenos Brewing; Chef Leo Davila of Esencia at The St. Anthony Hotel; Chef Phillip Gonyea of Krazy Katsu, the 2025 Overall Runner-Up; Chef Anthony “Nene” Hernandez, the 2025 Judges’ Choice winner; Chef Noymenia “Nome” Lewis of Nome’s Catering & Event Planning Services; Chef Erica Rodriguez of Cuba 1918; Chef Michael Urbano of Cappy’s; and Chef Jerrel Williams of Shepherd of the Hills. See TICKET LINK for full burger descriptions.
Please Note:
Beer, wine, cocktails and nonalcoholic beverages will be available for purchase from Cherrity Bar.
Four awards are up for grabs this year: People’s Choice Best Burger, Judges’ Choice Best Burger, Overall Runner-Up and Kids’ Favorite Burger. The judging panel includes award-winning food writer and television personality David Elder; two-time Burger Showdown People’s Choice winner Chef Kaius; Mike Dubya, creator of As Seen in SA; and returning young judge Liam Garcia, who will once again tackle the enviable task of choosing the Kids’ Favorite Burger.
Burgers with a Bigger Purpose
Beyond the competition, the Burger Showdown has always been about supporting the community it celebrates. This year’s beneficiary is SerenityStar Recovery, the nonprofit arm of San Antonio favorite Comfort Café. Based in Bexar County, SerenityStar provides a safe, sober and spiritual environment for individuals and families working to recover from addiction.
Supporters:
Burger Showdown 7.0 is graciously supported by HeartBrand Beef, Food Related, Ben E. Keith, Unifresh Produce, Lily’s Cookies and Olympia Trophy Center, with Cherrity Bar returning as host venue.
The Ultimate Burger Night
General admission begins at 6:30 p.m. and includes access to all competing burgers, fries, dessert and guest voting. VIP guests get a head start with 6 p.m. early entry, first access to the burgers, one complimentary beer and three voting tokens to throw behind their favorite chefs. VIP tickets are limited.
Whether your ideal burger is classic, smoky, spicy, cheesy, Korean-inspired, Cuban-inspired, Mexican-inspired, German-inspired or simply piled high with ingredients you never imagined putting between two buns, the Burger Showdown 7.0 offers the chance to taste what happens when some of San Antonio’s most innovative chefs are given one simple challenge: Make a burger we can’t stop talking about!
Tickets:
Location:
302 Montana St, San Antonio, TX
Date:
Friday, Oct. 16, 2026
