An Anatomy of YYC Burger Week

YYC Burger Week, the little event that could. Founded by Sabahat Naureen (First Founder), myself as @calgarydreamer (co-founder) and Chris Karaplis, the mysterious promo shy man in the shadows, we were all former Montrealers who had found our home, and our hearts here in Calgary. But as much as we did, it didn’t seem to be enough to simply just be here. We had to help, but just didn’t know how.

The YYC Burger Week Logo

In 2012, while on a routine visit to Montreal, Sabahat had visited Montreal, and partaken in their own Burger event. It was an in-house event, dedicated to simply self-promotion of the restaurants with a competition aspect. However, as I understand it, there was no charity aspect. With that, a light bulb went off in her head, and she came back wondering about how to make this event come into fruition in Calgary. Finding that no one else was even thinking of a similar idea, she started to put out little feelers here and there to assemble a team to organize the event. Seeing a kindred spirit, and a burger lover myself, I was the first volunteer right away.

I’ve known Sabahat and Chris for almost a year by then. Sabahat and I were members of the Yelp Elite, assembled by our friend and current world traveler Wendy Peters, and Chris had attended as Sab’s date often.  I had no idea who the heck was the people I would meet at the first meeting, and was shocked to find out that it was them. That January 2013, the work began. We managed to assemble 16 restaurants and parlay what strengths we had into a city wide festival. Sabahat was always stronger in terms of openness and self-promotion, but I was the one who had the restaurant connections, and usually preferred to be the overall support as well. More importantly, I had a good working relationship with the chefs which we all ran with. Chris, ever hiding in the background and preferring anonymity, designed the back end with the initial website and voting system.

The Competitors

We hemmed and hawed, Sabahat ever being the most ambitious one (I believed we needed months to prepare… we actually managed to get 95% of the work done in WEEKS). We all agreed, there was no way on earth we were going to promote a chain like McDonald’s and the like, and wanted to highlight the local talent and the best that Alberta agriculture had to offer. We designed a system of 16 restaurants being voted in by the public and hoped that by making the voting a little annoying (needing a unique email per vote) that it would reduce the cheating. We contacted 8 local charities (it would have been 9 as we almost signed up 18 restaurants, but we just couldn’t wait any longer for their legals).

The 2013 Nainalicious Winning Burger

Despite that, we were still pretty new at this sort of game. Understandably, some restaurants had considered us to be questionable as it was the inaugural year. Some were just too busy, although even now we would LOVE to see them enter and we would gladly invite them again and again. But then there were the one or two who were actually pretty insulting. I’ve heard some rumors that a few thought they weren’t invited because I disliked them personally. Nope, if anything, there were simply too many restaurants that we sent invites in 2 waves, with a 3rd had it been necessary. Once the initial 16 spots were full, it was done. But then again, that’s the name of the game really.

The competition started, and it wasn’t without a few hiccups, but with such fantastic people as Anju’s Roy Oh (missing you this year), downtownfood’s Darren Maclean, Notable’s Michael Noble and more, it came across as a triumph. Still there were a few more problems, but it was a great week.

In the end? We raised over $6300 in a week of burger frenzy. We were a bit too ambitious in terms of charitable givings as we had tried to promote EIGHT charities at once. To try to spread the funds evenly, we partnered them with 2 restaurants each, one that we considered a heavyweight to every newbie, but it didn’t work entirely the way we wanted. Still, everyone got a lot of promo, and we had cemented ourselves as part of Calgary history, even if just for a brief blip in time. More importantly, a great story came about as little Naina’s Kitchen, the smallest and the least known of all 16 places, came out the 2013 Champion. Looking at owner Erin’s face was worth it all, and we couldn’t have been more pleased.

This year, it was much easier, but far more ambitious. We asked over 50 restaurants to join, but put in a caveat that it was a first come first serve basis. Originally we were shooting for 20, with only 2 categories in the $10 and $15, but as the names came in, we soon found that would be impossible. We ended up selecting 30 competitors, and learned from the previous year to ensure a great selection for our participants by adding the $20 category. Again, we also dared the chefs to come up with something unique, something special. It had bothered us a little that in Year One, many of the restaurants simply put up an existing burger on their menu up for the challenge. But this year? They REALLY stepped up, with so many imaginative takes on burgers made of elk, bannock, cranberries, sprouts, hemp, lobster, pork, beef of all sorts and cuts, foie gras, ramen, bao, mac n’ cheese, pepper steak, ahi tuna and more. It always surprises me by the creative energy of our chefs, and how wonderful it is to be a part of that scene in our small way. And to help promote such creativity, we created the Burger Ambassadors, comprised of some of the best food writer, personalities and bloggers in Calgary. They’ve done a great job, and their comments have help the diners choose their preferences.

Blowfish Sushi Lounge’s Ramen Burger

We also started looking for funding again, since we thought that it might not be as hard as last year, but was surprised that it was actually even harder as our contacts for many organizations had changed, and had to re-justify ourselves. More so, while YYC Burger Week came about, so did literally dozens of other new food festivals, and we ended up having to compete ourselves in a much bigger forum.

But as a wise man once said… the universe will listen. Things will work out somehow.

It did. We still worked on everything, and refused to compromise on our principals to promote Alberta restaurants, talent and produce. I wager that if we were willing to do so, funding would probably would have been a lot easier, but then, what would have been the point? We are CALGARY STRONG. It’s our home, and we wanted dearly to be at the heart of it all. More importantly, we found ourselves ever more in love with our city, and found inspiration in the people that united for those shining moments after the Floods. There would be NO compromise.

The team also expanded this year, with great new members joining in. Wanda Baker, noted food blogger of Baker’s Beans, came in with her knowledge and experience, and insight on how to approach matters while ensuring that the t’s were crossed and the i’s were dotted. Trevor Gibbons, our surprise Unofficial Judge in the Bacon Suit in 2013, also leaped in, and brought in a new energy and great ideas to promote our festival. More members with unique strengths still joined in, and now we number 11 strong. It’s a great team, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

With those skills, connections and energy, and the excited inclusion of ATB Agriculture, we found our little festival now stood toe to toe with some of the best festivals in the city. To date as I write this, there has been literally THOUSANDS of tweets, and who knows how many people out there roaming the city, discovering new and old restaurants for the first time, and personally challenging themselves to try all THIRTY burgers (for those who are doing so, I recommend our next festival YYC Soup and Salad Week…). We’ve been in tv, radio, print, and online all over the city. The restaurants are being lauded, tried out and challenged creatively in a fun and unusual way. And at the heart of it all, the 3 charities chosen this year will greatly benefit from the exposure and the funds.

So that’s really that for now. YYC Burger Week is almost at it’s 1/2 way point, and we’re seeing such an incredible energy through the city as people run into the restaurants with their passports. We love it. I love it.

To Calgary, from the 3 founders and the 8 new committee members, this is our labour of love, and our gift to the city. And we can’t wait until 2015.

Bon Appetit. And don’t forget to stamp your passport and VOTE by RATING your favorite burgers!

#YYCVote – A plead to #Calgary to vote.

“Now its been suggested to me this week that I should try to buy your support with jobs, & the promise of access. It’s been suggested to me [that it] is more important than your democratic rights… That’s right, it’s not, and you have a decision to make. Don’t vote for us because you think we’re perfect. Don’t vote for us because of what we might be able to do for you only. Vote for the person who shares your ideals, your hopes, your dreams. Vote for the person who most embodies what you believe we need to keep our nation strong & free.”.

– Matt Santos, The West Wing

That speech, written by the brilliant Aaron Sorkin for his show, the West Wing, always brought chills up my spine. It’s not because it’s so catchy, or well written, or even that it definitely tugs at your heart strings. It’s because it appeals to a dream. It appeals to the dream that we all should have, one where our leadership should be responsive to our needs and values without being beholden to one group to another. In our modern democracy, while no where near as insanely skewed as in the US where it takes tens of millions of dollars to win a job paying $150k, our politicians still have to raise a fair amount of money in order to put up those lawn signs, to organize the volunteers and pay for those TV and radio ads. Let’s face it, virtually every candidate INCLUDING Mayor Nenshi is beholden to some extent by outside forces. Any politician who says otherwise is a liar.

But let’s take things a bit in perspective.

1) There’s being open and transparent with your donors, and then there’s candidates with backing from groups skulking in the shadows, with secret plans and huge money spent to have a council in their control. There’s enough in the news to prove it, and I’m not going to name names. If you don’t care enough to find this out and confirm for yourself, then whatever I say won’t matter anyways.

2) Who actually has a dream for Calgary? A politician does what’s expedient for the immediate future. A leader has a plan that looks forward regardless of any backlash, and fights for his/her cause because it’s right.

3) Who is willing to make hard decisions when needed? A politician will give in to the hoi polloi which is usually short sighted and has repercussions in the long term. A leader will follow his or her decision, come what may, for the benefit of all regardless of how unpopular it may be.

That’s how I based my vote, and why I chose the people I did.

I call myself the Calgary Dreamer in Social Media. Once upon a time, it was become I was a person who had dreams on what Calgary could be. And then came the floods… and the people… and the good will… and the chance to see true leadership in action. Then and there, I rededicated myself to a new definition of Calgary Dreamer. I now strive to make the dream that IS Calgary to become a dream to us all.

Please. This is your city. Be a part of my dream where our city is prosperous, open-minded and free of corruption at the highest echelons. Think and consider carefully. Think of who are the people who didn’t take their money from special interests. Think of who are the ones who have financial supporters who were “suggesting” to their employees on who to vote for. Think of who are the ones who decided to fire teachers, yet give themselves raises and have meetings in Palm Springs with your money.  Think of the ones who seems to be honest, and brings inspiration and leadership. Think of the ones who share your beliefs and values, and have a dream of what could be a Calgary you can live and grow happily in. In the end, you are your own person, but do you really want to live in a kleptocracy where corruption and special interests are the ones in power, or in a city where your leaders will do what is good for all?

I believe in a Calgary with leaders that we all can be proud of in the end. One that we need, if not necessarily deserve. Most importantly, I believe in my fellow Calgarians.

See you tomorrow at the ballot booth. #YYCVote

A Brief Wakeup Call – #YYCFlood

Sorry all, there’s plenty more to write about myself, the kids and the storm that’s coming. But, this time I have to say something as my city, Calgary, starts to resume some sense of normal life after almost 2 weeks of extreme floods and loss.

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Ok Calgary. It’s been a hell of a last 10 days. Downtown has reopened. Many districts have power again. But a lot of our homes are still damaged beyond repair, some of our favorite haunts are shuttered for months, and time has simply stopped on that flood day at the Sisiska Nation and High River areas.

Most of us have lives to get back to, but if there’s any way you can spare a few hours a week to help our neighbours, I honestly implore that you do. What happened with the flood and it’s aftermath to recover is NOT a sprint, it’s a marathon. Too many of us will be feeling it for months. So as our Mayor said, when the pain really hits months from now, we have to make sure our neighbours know we are there for them.

One last point. English Poet put it best, in the line, “And They Also Serve.”  It means that there’s a place for everyone in one way or another.  Not everyone has to go tear apart drywall, slog mud out of the basements or clean away debris.  There’s the sorting stations of donations around the city, folding and processing the Hell or High Water Shirts, first aid stations, rest stations and dozens of those little things that makes the volunteer army run.

Napoleon said that an army runs on it’s stomach.  The same applies here, as how long do you think our volunteers and first responders would last at this pace without the food and water, and the simple pure generosity we’ve been inspired and aspire to.  If you can’t help directly, think how much good you’ve done just by giving a few flats of water.  But please, over the time to come, just do something.

It’s our country.  It’s our city.  It’s Home.

Rant over. Good luck and best wishes. – Terry