"Michael Symon" news and stories

Read more: Burger Bash 2011 Winner: Michael Symon

So who won the Food Network's 5th Annual SoBe Burger Bash 2011? Well, that depends on the category:

The People's Choice Award: Michael Symon (B Spot)
Burger with fried salami, provolone, shasha sauce and pickled onion.

Judges Favorite: Marc Murphy (Landmarc Restaurants)
All beef hamburger on a homemade black pepper and cheddar bun with spike ketchup and house made pickles.

Heinz Best Dressed Burger Award: Michael Symon
Burger with fried salami, provolone, shasha sauce and pickled onion.

Best Side Dish: Burger & Beer Joint
Beer tempura battered fried pickles served with homemade buttermilk ranch & truffle baked potato salad.

When it comes to topping a burger with more meat, we figured bacon has the market safely cornered. But after talking with Food Network's Michael Symon recently, we're rethinking our position. Not to offend any bacon-cheeseburger purists, but listening to Michael Symon describe the "Fat Doug," the Philly Witt" and the "Yo Burger"-- standouts that he's serving at B Spot these days -- we're thinking bacon actually sounds a bit boring.

Earlier this year, Symon's "Fat Doug" beat out Bobby Flay at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival. In the video below, he details these standout burgers and reveals which of his creations he's taking to South Beach in 2011. Watch, but be warned: you will get hungry.

Michael Symon takes time out of his busy schedule to chat with Slashfood about his two upcoming shows on the Food Network, Food Feuds and The Next Iron Chef.

Find out what makes the food so special on Food Feuds and who he wishes was sitting at the judges table when he was a contestant on The Next Iron Chef.

Wait, haven't we been here before? We got to know chef Dominique Crenn up close and personal last year when she tried out to be The Next Iron Chef, a distinction that ultimately went to Jose Garces.

If there's one thing we've learned, however, it's that you always get another chance to prove your Iron Chef-iness on the Food Network, and sure enough, Crenn was back this week to prove her unique Gallic mettle. And if anyone should be able to ace a competition where the secret ingredient is yogurt, it's a European chef, right?

Certainly, if Crenn approached the "coagulated milk protein" -- to use Alton Brown's over-explanation of it -- with a delicate touch, reigning Iron Chef Michael Symon practically bullied it onto the plate, baking, pressure cooking and custarding it until it was front and center.

His flavors and presentation were so bold, a dessert-course tuile threw judge Andrew Knowlton for a loop. "I didn't take you for a tuile kind of guy," he said. Symon's response: "I'm trying to show you my feminine side."