Argentine chefs dominated this year's Burger Bash on Miami Beach. Here's who won

Miami Herald

21-02-2025

One of the most popular events of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival kicked off with cool breezes and hot burgers, with two burger joints from Argentine owners earning prizes for their perfect patties.
At the popular Burger Bash, meat lovers gathered under a tent on the sands of South Beach to sample the offerings and vote for their favorites, while a panel of celebrity judges chose their own winner. The night was loud and crowded in the best possible way. Host Rachael Ray, who hosted the first Burger Bash in 2007, told the audience: 'It's just so much fun always to be in this tent with this energy.'
The People's Choice Award went to La Birra Bar from Argentina, which took home a $5,000 check for its smash golden chimichurri burger, a twist on the brand's burger that won in 2022. This new version was two smashed patties, American cheese and red onions dripping with a special Argentinian chimichurri mayo.
Renzo Cocchia, who lives in Argentina and owns La Birra Bar with his father, celebrated happily with his team, reiterating on stage with Ray and festival founder Lee Schrager that La Birra Bar is a family business.
'We have no words,' said Cocchia when he came off the stage for photos and overwhelming congratulations. 'It's very emotional. We thank the people who came and voted for us and the amazing team we have behind us. And we want to thank the organizers of the event, it was huge. Year to year, they are doing the best job.'
La Birra Bar has four locations in South Florida — North Miami Beach, Wynwood, Fort Lauderdale and Weston — and 14 in Argentina, plus restaurants in Spain and Chile.
Cocchia said he started making specialty burgers for the first time in 2014.
'The first time we tried to make them, we loved them. We try to do the best burger we can, and I think we did a really good job.'
It's easy, in a way, he says, because 'everybody loves burgers.'
La Birra Bar, which is also planning to open a restaurant in Doral, also won the Idaho Potato Side Dish award, earning a $2,500 check for its 'smashbrowns,' loaded hash browns with lime pepper seasoning. The competition included a variety of fries, truffled and untruffled, as well as cacio e pepe tater tots from Daniel's, A Steakhouse in Fort Lauderdale.
Meanwhile, the judges had another favorite burger. Skinny Louie earned the Very Best Burger Award and $2,500 for the Wagyu Louie, with double smashed wagyu beef patties, melted smoked gouda and truffle aioli, topped with pickled jalapeños on a brioche bun.
This was the first Burger Bash win for owner Gonzalo Rubino and his team, all of whom were screaming, smiling and hugging.
Rubino, who was born in Buenos Aires, and is co-founder of MPGR Hospitality, said it was the quality of the ingredients that made the Wagyu Louie stand out.
'The quality of the meat, the high-quality cheese — they're really good,' he said. 'I'm super happy and so proud of my team.'
Skinny Louie has locations in Wynwood, Little Havana and the Kaseya Center, and plans to open restaurants in Aventura, Coral Gables, South Miami, West Palm Beach and New York.
This year's judges were Rita Tennyson of Burger Bob's; the TikTok king of sandwiches Owen Han; Tyler Cameron of 'The Bachelorette' and 'Special Forces: World's Toughest Test'; Manolo Vergara of the culinary brand Toma and Meg Radice and Audrey Jongens of The VIP List, famous for comedic food reviews on social media.
The South Beach Wine & Food Festival continues through Sunday with events across the beach and other parts of Miami-Dade. All net proceeds benefit the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University.