Hamburger Hop , part of the Chicago Gourmet festival presented by the Illinois Restaurant Association , was staged on the Harris Theater rooftop Sept. 26 and paired chefs in a Northside vs. Southside “Culinary Crosstown Classic” format. Sponsors included Sysco, DoorDash and Blue Moon , which also supplied key ingredients and voting materials for the People’s Choice component. The event was emceed by Joe Flamm and Sarah Grueneberg.

The format required each competing chef to use staple ingredients provided by sponsors, while giving them creative freedom over condiments, cheeses and toppings. Attendees sampled burgers and cast votes by dropping Blue Moon bottle caps into buckets stationed at each chef’s table, while an expert judging panel evaluated entries based on flavor, c

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