Village Whiskey and Blue Duck win Burger Brawl

Village Whiskey, making its debut at the Philadelphia Burger Brawl, captured the judges' vote, while last year's winner, Blue Duck, won the people's choice award.

The air was thick with smoke outside Xfinity Live! Sunday afternoon as 54 contenders - the most ever - stoked grills on the parking lot.

The fifth Burger Brawl, a fundraiser for the School District of Philadelphia, raised a record $208,000 and drew 4,200 people, said founder and organizer Rob Wasserman. He owns Rouge and 500 Degrees, which served burgers but did not compete. Last year's event drew 3,000 people and raised $150,000.

Village Whiskey's burger - served as a slider - was dubbed "the VW Frenchy." Its beef patty was decadently topped with sauce au poivre, Gruyere, Cabernet grilled onion, and black truffle aioli. Dave Conn, Village Whiskey's chef, worked the grill himself. The Garces-owned Rittenhouse bar is usually found on many critics' best-burger lists.

Repeating as people's choice winner, Blue Duck's Kris Serviss and Joe Callahan opted to create a patty that was  60-40 beef to duck. It was topped with red onion and 1732 brand jalapeño bacon jam and smoked Gouda on brioche.

Aldine's Gregory Diamond won for a bourbon-based cocktail - Basil Hayden's, grenadine, lemon juice, elderflower liqueur, blackberries.

Disclosure: I organized and oversaw the judging, which was conducted blind by a panel of 30 people who included District Attorney Seth Williams, Schools Superintendent William Hite, media personalities Marc Summers, Mike Jerrick, Alex Holley, Dei Lynam, Steve Morrison, Casey, and Marilyn Russell, and food bloggers Caroline Russock, Danya Henninger and Art Etchells.