Home chefs can still enjoy Wellington on a Plate by entering their lockdown burger creations. Photo / Supplied
Home chefs can still enjoy Wellington on a Plate by entering their lockdown burger creations. Photo / Supplied
The Ashley Shroomfield, South Coast Umami Warning, and (Can't Beet) Wellington On a Good Day are among the hundreds of burger creations cooked up at home by hungry Wellingtonians in lockdown.
Alert level 4 lockdown was announced halfway through the most celebrated month on the capital's culinary calendar, Wellington on A Plate.
It was only four days into one of its much-loved programmes - Burger Wellington, which challenges restaurants and cafes to cook up the capital's most creative burger.
But burger-loving Wellingtonians left hungry by the sudden halt of the festival turned to their own kitchens instead, with the festival soon morphing into an online movement in search of the region's best level 4 feed.
Wellington on A Plate festival director Sarah Meikle said they began to notice homemade Burger Wellington creations emerging on social media within the first few days of lockdown.
Burger WellingtIN sees home chefs create their burgers at home, and share to social media. Photo / Supplied
"So we decided to flip the proverbial burger, so to speak, make it official, directly challenge Burger Wellington fans at home to make their own Burger WellingtINs, and reward them for it." she said.
"It's been really entertaining to see people flipping the tables and showing off some incredible culinary creativity too - we've been really impressed with so many of the entries, and it's led to our own heated internal debates on who to crown as winners."
The locked-down cousin of the original festival, Burger WellingtIN sees home chefs create their burgers at home, and share to social media.
More than 200 entries were generated in just three days. Photo / Supplied
They can enter by tagging burger posts with @wellyonaplate and @garageproject and hashtagging #BurgerWellingtIN and #LockdownBurgerWelly on both Facebook and Instagram. They also get the opportunity to critique other burgers.
Meikle said a winner would also be announced each day and have a Garage Project prize pack "distance delivered" to their door.
While more than 250 entries had been planned for Burger Wellington across a 19-day period, more than 200 entries were generated for Burger WellingtonIN within its first three days.
The top three burger entries would be selected by festival organisers each day, with finalists later competing in a post-lockdown cook-off.
The top three burger entries would be selected by festival organisers each day, with finalists later competing in a post lockdown cook-off. Photo / Supplied
The cook-off would be judged by past winners of Best Burger in Garage Project presents Burger Wellington.
Meikle said it was a tribute to Garage Project while engaging in the spirit of the festival while in lockdown.
"We're hoping this fun, social interaction gets diners excited to get back out there and support the hospitality industry when Burger Wellington can start up again at levels 1 and 2," she said.
She encouraged burger lovers across the capital to participate, but also to be kind in their critiquing.
Burger WellingtIN entries can be found on Facebook and Instagram under the hashtags #BurgerWellingtIN #LockdownBurgerWelly, as well as posts tagged @wellyonaplate and @garageproject.
