Meet The 26 Experts Who Decided Juicy Burger Cup '24

Another year, and another Juicy Burger Cup has come to pass, with Side Street taking the crown this year to become two-time champions. What sets the 2024 edition of the cup apart, though, was the addition of a panel of 26 burger experts who helped rank the Top 16 Burgers in Beijing -- crowning this year's winner in the process.

The result was a contest that aimed to be more balanced and unbiased, with little opportunity for ballot stuffing and efforts taken to ensure our secretly chosen experts wouldn't be influenced in their decision. Now that the Top 16 have been named, it's time to unveil these 26 experts...

Anthony Chang

I’ve seen burgers grow in popularity in China over the years, and I’ve tasted dozens of burgers in my hometown of Beijing. Because I have previous experience in catering to non-burger foods, I am very fond of using subjective methods to summarize the flavor of a burger. At the same time, I am also better at objectively analyzing the meat patties, sauces, side dishes, bread, as well as baking methods and shapes of hamburgers in detail. I sometimes even go as far as learning the details of certain restaurant's suppliers. This way, I can provide insight from both the customer's and chef's perspective.

Barbara Qin

I’m a local Beijinger. I’ve always loved the combination of beef, cheese, and condiments that is a burger. I consider burgers my favorite comfort food. I’ve visited more than ten burger shops in Beijing, and I always make it a habit to try new burger places wherever I travel overseas.

Matthew Cheung

I’m Matthew from the United States. I’ve tried over ten burger places since coming to Beijing in 2010. Burger places are so common here now that it’s very easy to find a new burger joint or keep it simple and go to an OG place, especially those that’ve been in the city for 5-7 years now. I’m happy to give my two cents to help people navigate their burger cravings or to find a place where you can take your family and friends for a good meal.

Ian Wilkinson

My name is Ian, and I'm addicted to burgers. I have a burger at least every other day. I've been to about ten different burger places this year alone and many more since arriving here in 2018. Burgers are a passion of mine and I am using that knowledge to help crown the next Burger Cup champion.

Joshua Linder

I’m just a “Burger Bro” from the US who likes to use his skills in filmmaking and videography to document my burger eating adventures in the capital and beyond.

Tim C

When I was growing up in the US, my mother didn’t have much time to cook for me often, so she resorted to fast food to help satiate my hunger. I’m not good at much, but I’m good at eating burgers, and have tried well over 20 different brands in Beijing. I come from the land of the burger ... I love burgers.

Keenan Kimmick

Though the debate on where the “cheeseburger” was first invented remains unsettled, I hold my head high knowing I grew up in Denver, Colorado, the US city which bears claim to the “cheeseburger” trademark. Despite a bias to the simpler more traditional ways, so long as there is Maillard and a fitting crown, I will devour any burger within reach. However, with each bite, I secretly criticize and point out every little thing which could be improved. I may have come to Beijing originally for my wife, but now I stay for the burgers, which continue to transport me straight into the Garden of Eden. I've sampled more than 25 burger places here in Beijing.

Lukas O’Hara

My name is Lukas, and I’ve been dutifully sampling the best of Beijing’s burgers since 2018. I’m originally from Illinois, USA and moved to Guangdong in 2017. For my first year in China, I immersed myself in Chinese food, trying as much as possible because I wasn’t sure how long I’d be here. From time to time, the craving for something familiar would kick in and I’d start begging the locals for any news on a burger that wasn’t from McDonald’s. By the time I moved to Beijing in 2018, the craving had evolved. I was no longer trying to immerse myself solely in Chinese food and culture, but clinging to any feeling of home that could be found between two buns. Thankfully, I found this home many times over in Beijing.

Strucky

I’m Michael, or as my friends call me, Strucky, which is short for my German family name that no one can pronounce. I came to Beijing in 2006 where the burger scene was ruled by KFC and McDonald’s. I’ve seen many great restaurants come and go since then (and unfortunately lost some of my all-time favorites) but all things considered, Beijing is a great place for a burger lover like myself. I love to try new creations like burgers using Chinese sauces, crayfish, Wagyu beef, brisket and pig brain. Whatever the chefs in the ‘Jing can imagine, I am there to give it a try. Craving for a burger at least once per week and knowing the scene in Beijing for a long, long time makes me a burger expert for sure.

Gideon Goldfeder

Coming from western New York and having lived in Beijing for over 14 years, I have seen the rise, fall, and mediocre continuance of many burger places across my decade-and-a-half in the capital. From the old days of 3am burgers at Lush after drinking a headache of fake alcohol to a quick Shake Shack burger between meetings in Guomao, my life has changed much over the years, but my unhealthy relationship with burgers has not. As a lifelong vegetarian, it is true that my burger choice is limited, but I truly believe there should be a little bit of inclusion in the rankings. Therefore, I was happy to take on the role of Burger Expert and put in my two cents on the rankings, specifically focused on the veggie burgers. I hope such inclusion will lead to more burger joints in the capital to offer topnotch veggie burgers that will blow my socks off for many years to come.

Zack Pelyvas

My name is Zack Pelyvas, and I’m from Oxfordshire, UK. I have explored over 20 different burger places in Beijing. Having worked in a Michelin-starred restaurant in England, I possess a deep understanding of the intricate art of crafting exceptional food, including burgers. My background equips me with the expertise to distinguish between an average burger and a truly extraordinary one. Readers should consider me a burger expert because I combine professional culinary experience with a rich exposure to diverse burger styles from my travels.

Joanna Ren

I’m Joanna Ren from Beijing. I’ve tried over 20 burger restaurants in Beijing and consider myself a food expert, with the highest level of 8 on Dazhong Dianping, China’s version of Yelp. I’ve written over 700 comments on restaurants in Beijing, all of them interesting places.

Justin Marker

I’m a burger loving American from Miami, Florida who has found himself living and indulging in burgers in Beijing, China. With a passion for juicy patties, melted cheese, and the perfect bun, I have made it my mission to seek out the best burger joints in the bustling capital. I’m able to embrace the multicultural food scene here, and I enjoy exploring all the diverse burger offerings to be found here.

Leon Shepherd

As an 11-year British expat in China, I’ve enjoyed one too many burgers to compensate for my crippling depression and one too few beers to enjoy life in Beijing fully.

Michael Wester

As the co-founder of the Beijinger, I've been running Burger Fests in Beijing for as long as I can remember, and have sampled burgers from dozens of Beijing’s finest bespoke burger establishments. However, I am not too snobby to chow down on a Double Cheeseburger from Mickey D’s now and again.

Vincent Vinci

Hailing from Arizona, USA, I've tried well over 20 burgers from all kinds of spots in Beijing. While that might not seem like a lot, it's more than enough for this burger lover to have figured out what I think is the best burger formula: no crazy toppings, simply put together, and with a focus on a patty that's well-seasoned and rich with flavor.

Dr. Bruins

I’m Dr. Bruins from Beijing and I’ve tasted over 30 burgers here in the capital. As a doctor and a foodie, eating delicious burgers is to me both an essential part of my leisure time and a source of joy in my busy daily life.

Liu Enchao

I'm Liu Enchao. I'm from Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang, which is a beautiful and fertile place. It may be that the genes in the bones of Northeast people are naturally full of cravings for meat, so I like to eat ribs, steak, and lots of other meat dishes. It’s natural, then, I find a burger a perfect choice for a meal. I have been in Beijing for more than eight years, and eat burgers one to two times a week. Initially I just chose fast food such as KFC and McDonald's; but later I came into contact with bespoke burgers such as Niu Burger, Jing A, and others (and at the same time developed a taste for craft beer). With the great weather recently it’s a great time to go out and drink and eat every day, especially at boutique places like Burge’s, Slowboat, Wild Kite and others.

Diego & Hazel

Our love affair with burgers began with an episode of How I Met Your Mother titled “The Best Burger in New York”, in which the protagonists try to locate the best burger in the city. And we, as die-hard fans of the show, also started our own Burger Hunt in Beijing, and even made a habit of trying burger places in every city we traveled to. After trying more than 20 Burger restaurants and eating a wide variety of meat patties, buns and sauces -- trust us, we truly experienced enough to be considered Burger Experts!

Du Zhehuai

I’m from Beijing and I’ve tried maybe 16-20 burger places. I love burgers quite a bit, and I hope events like Burger Fest will continue each year to introduce people to the best burgers in Beijing.

Chong

I’m from Beijing and I’ve tried 15 burger places here. I'm a burger fanatic, I love to travel all over the world, and every city I go to, I look for local burgers to try. I think that in addition to meat, toppings, and sauces, the most important thing about burgers is the bun, which is a point that many burger restaurants overlook. Many burger joints in Beijing now have good enough patties and sauces -- and I hope they will pay more attention to their buns to make even better burgers.

Gao Gao

Even though I’ve only tried about ten burger places in Beijing, I consider myself a big burger lover. I follow a lot of burger bloggers on social media to learn about what to try. Eating good food, especially burgers, is a pleasure for me. I love to explore new and different burgers, and have participated in the Burger Fest many times to keep up with the trends!

Wang Tian

Beijinger and burger lover who has been to dozens of burger restaurants. This includes 22 in Beijing and more than 90 burger restaurants across China.

Zhang Zaiyun

I’m from Beijing and I am a cooking enthusiast. In recent years, I’ve grown especially fond of cooking Western food, and I have been learning Western food techniques through various cooking classes and shows. I often make all kinds of burgers, steaks, lobsters, and more at home, and the taste has won unanimous praise from my family and friends. As a burger expert, I like to take a comprehensive approach to my evaluations, looking at the meat, filling, sauces, condiments, innovation, and overall flavor. I draw from my knowledge and understanding of cooking to give an objective, professional burger review.

Brother Wen

As a burger and craft beer lover, I have lived and worked in Beijing's Dongcheng District for 12 years, trying many of the hutong burger restaurants there. I’ve also visited the United States, Australia, and Europe, and tried local burgers and beers everywhere I went.

Gao Yuan

Born and raised in Beijing, I love to explore all kinds of delicacies. My "food map" is very extensive, covering authentic Beijing cuisine as well as international cuisines such as Western, Japanese, Middle Eastern, and Southeast Asian cuisines.

When it comes to the most irresistible thing for me, though, it’s burgers, and I enjoy the aroma of carbs, cheese and juicy meat patties exploding in my mouth. I like to experiment with different flavors, even curious ones. I've tried more than 30 different burger joints in Beijing, and I've tried a variety of beef, chicken, and mutton burgers.

Since first participating in the Beijinger's Burger Fest eight years ago, I've been a big fan of the organizers' various events. Every Burger Fest is a one-stop shop for the best burger joints in Beijing, bringing new flavors and exciting activities to everyone. Over the years, the road of hamburgers on the tip of my tongue has come down, and tasting hamburgers can also be regarded as another "old business" of mine. It is a great honor to be selected as an expert for this year's Burger Cup and to participate in the voting for the top 16 rankings.

READ: Side Street Claims 2024 Juicy Burger Cup Victory

Images: theBeijingers, courtesy of the experts