Smash & Sear: Best in Burger
Fire meets sizzling Rowe Beef at Hale Muskoka, where some of Ontario's most magnetic culinary talents step up to the Broil King grill for an afternoon of unapologetic indulgence. This is smash burger culture elevated: juicy, char-kissed patties built on locally sourced Muskoka ingredients and dressed in toppings that push the format further than you thought a burger could go.
- Cheeses by Jesse Tree Fine Foods.
- Beer by Muskoka Brewery.
- Wine by The Grange of Prince Edward Winery, which swept the 2026 Ontario Wine Awards with 11 medals, including Double Gold for their Estate Series Riesling and Chardonnay.
- Cider by Spy Cider House and Distillery
Five chefs. One title. Zero restraint.
🧺 Artisanal Market (free)
🎨 Kids Zone - Arts, crafts, games! (free)
🍦Food, Drinks, Ice cream
🎸Live music
🍔 Smash Burger Competition
Meal Tickets $35 ($45 at the door) including:
- 5 Chef burger samples
- 2 drinks (@muskokabrewery @drinksollys @grangewinery @spydistillery)
- 1 dessert (@drayzcakez)
Bring your appetite and your cottage crew for a day that moves between tasty bites, cold drinks, and live music, set against the backdrop of Muskoka at its most alive. Whoever walks away with "Best in Burger" earns their place in the region's culinary lore, and you'll be there to watch it happen.
COMPETING CHEFS
- Chef Melanie Robinson – Defending Champion, 2025 Hale Smash & Sear; Chopped Canada winner; chef-owner of Eclectic Café & Catering, Orillia.
- Chef Gene Carpenter – Runner-up, 2026 Great Burger Showdown; co-owner and chef of Atomic Burger, Toronto.
- Chef Dylan James – Executive Chef of Fire Feast Elora; partner in The Metcalfe Smokehouse, Elora.
- Chef Bradley Yip – Private chef to Forbes Top 50 families and Hollywood A-listers across Muskoka, Aspen, and Miami; founder of CuisineSavant; trained under Susur Lee, and at George.
- Chef Spencer Wolf – Culinary director and guest service coordinator for Broil King. Obtained red seal at Langdon hall under Chef Jason Bangerter. Formally a chef within the charcoal group.
JUDGES
- Chef Charmaine Broughton – Host of "In Char's Kitchen" on YourTV Muskoka; author of Delicious & Doable; instructor at The Creative Cook, Bracebridge.
- Chef Melanie Dunkelman – Trained under Michael Stadtlander, Paul Boehmer, and Arpi Magyar; chef-owner of Season 2 Taste, Owen Sound.
- Chef Ben Kersley – Top 30 Under 30 hospitality professional known for an ingredient-driven approach to modern Canadian cuisine and live-fire cooking; classically trained in the UK; chef-owner at Lamorna, Gravenhurst.
- Rod Rowe – Co-founder and owner of Rowe Beef Co., supplying Wellington County beef and Japanese Wagyu to Canada's top restaurants; former New York Mets minor-league draft pick.
- Chef Joel Gray – Michelin-recognized; Canada's 100 Best alum; partner in Down Home, Grey County.
Limited free parking on site, with additional shuttled parking available at:
Muskoka Drive-In, 1001 Theatre Rd, Gravenhurst, ON P1P 1R1
$45 at the door
Meet the Chefs
Competing chefs
Chef Melanie Robinson
Eclectic Café & Catering· Orillia, ON
Defending Champion 2025 · Chopped Canada Winner- Chopped Canada winner — $10K prize
- Trained at Georgian College; champions local Orillia producers
- Eclectic Café & Catering, Orillia
Chef Gene Carpenter
Atomic Burger· Toronto, ON
2nd – Best Burger in Canada 2026- All beef butchered, ground & dry-aged 30+ days in-house
- 2nd place, Great Burger Showdown, Restaurants Canada 2026
- Atomic Burger, 245 Greenwood Ave, Toronto
Chef Dylan James
Fire Feast / The Metcalfe Smokehouse· Elora, ON
Executive Chef- Executive Chef, Fire Feast Elora
- Executive Chef, The Metcalfe Smokehouse, Elora
Chef Bradley Yip
CuisineSavant· Muskoka, ON
Private Chef · CuisineSavant- Private chef to Forbes Top 50 and Hollywood A-listers — LA, Hamptons, Tokyo, Muskoka
- Trained at George restaurant (John Higgins & Lorenzo Loseto); Four Seasons; Susur Lee
- Ayurvedic cuisine training in India; founder, CuisineSavant
Chef Spencer Wolf
Broil King · Langdon Hall · Rebel Creek · Beertown· Ontario
Culinary Ambassador, Broil King- Culinary director and guest service coordinator for Broil King.
- Obtained red seal at Langdon hall under Chef Jason Bangerter
- Formally a chef within the charcoal group.
Judges
Charmaine Broughton
In Char's Kitchen · The Creative Cook· Bracebridge, ON
TV host · Author · Instructor- Host & producer, In Char's Kitchen on YourTV Muskoka; 25+ years in the food industry
- Author, Delicious & Doable — Recipes for Real and Everyday Life
- Instructor, The Creative Cook, Bracebridge
Chef Melanie Dunkelman
Season 2 Taste· Owen Sound, ON
Chef-owner, Season 2 Taste- Trained under Michael Stadtlander (Eigensinn Farm), Paul Boehmer, and Arpi Magyar
- Chef-owner, Season 2 Taste — boutique catering with seasonal, locally sourced menus
- Owen Sound-based; celebrated for elegant, ingredient-forward catering
Chef Ben Kersley
Lamorna· Gravenhurst, ON
Chef, Lamorna- Award-Winning Culinary Talent: Named one of Canada’s Top 30 Under 30, specializing in ingredient-driven, live-fire modern Canadian cuisine.
- UK Classical Roots: Originally from southwest England, he honed his classical culinary skills in the UK before moving to Canada.
- Local Muskoka Focus: Currently showcasing the finest regional Ontario ingredients at Lamorna in Gravenhurst.
Rod Rowe
Rowe Beef Co.· Mississauga, ON
Beef purveyor · Rowe Beef Co.- Co-founder, Rowe Beef Co. — Wellington County AAA/Prime beef & Snake River Farms Wagyu
- ~10,000 kg/week to fine restaurants, hotels, and golf clubs across Ontario
- Father was a professional butcher; former minor-league baseball player (New York Mets org.)
Chef Joel Gray
Down Home· Markdale, Grey County
Michelin Guide · Canada's 100 Best- Chef/owner, Down Home — Michelin-recognised, Canada's 100 Best 2024 & 2025
- 10-course farm tasting menu for 16 guests; farms the surrounding land
- Down Home, Markdale, Grey County
![[photo] Hale Muskoka Marketplace entrance in Muskoka, Ontario](http://haleoutdoors.com/cdn/shop/files/market_entrance.jpg?v=1773930229&width=1000)