The culinary creation features a row of white powder made from garlic sprinkled on top and a fake rolled-up $100 bill stuck into the bun. The burger was named “Pablo Escoburger”.
Escobar was a Colombian drug lord and leader of the Medellin cartel. He was dubbed the “The King of Cocaine” and oversaw violent crimes including kidnappings, bombings and murders.
Ernesto’s owner Steve Drummond said the burger has been so popular that he was keeping it on the menu for another week and a half.
He expected to sell a further 1000 burgers in that period.
“We’ve got a lot of people who still want to come and try it so, we’ve decided to extend it for a couple of weeks and keep it on so they can have a go.
“There were periods where people couldn’t book or couldn’t get in we were that busy so we’ve pushed it out a bit.”
Pablo Escobar was a Colombian drug lord and leader of the Medellin cartel.
Drummond said business was up 15-20% compared with the same period last year.
He admitted the controversy over the burger was nerve-wracking, to begin with.
“I definitely had a couple of sleepless nights when we were turfed out of the Wellington on a Plate competition and we’re just so happy with the result and support we’ve had from the community.
“Everyone that we’ve spoken to saw it for what it was - a tongue-in-cheek play on a Columbian burger - and we’ve not had anyone express to us in the venue that they felt it was terribly offensive.”
The experience has not put Drummond off entering Wellington on a Plate’s Burger Wellington competition next year.
“We think we do burgers that can win it so, we want to enter again next year. While we disagree with the way they treated Ernesto’s and our entry this year, it’s not going to stop us having another go next year.”
Why the Embassy of Colombia to Australia took offence
Embassy of Colombia to Australia charge d’affaires Esther Margarita Arias Cuentas sent a letter to Drummond in July.
Regardless of the motivations and creative process behind the plate, it was an “obnoxious surprise” to find Colombian cuisine was put into the same mix as a criminal responsible for the death of thousands of innocent people, Cuentas said.
“Unconsidered actions like this which portrays Colombian culture and its people in relation to the use [of] a harmful and illicit drug that [has] brought so much pain, suffering, death and distress; not only perpetuate bias, stereotype discrimination and racism, but also generates a concerning deviation from the cold reality where the issue of drug abuse is becoming a matter of public health and safety, thus it should be condemned, not trivialised or extolled.”
New Zealand Refugee Advisory Panel member Jose Tombe also complained in a personal capacity sayingErnesto’s response overlooked the traumatic history caused by Escobar’s legacy.
“The culture of drug cartels in Colombia has caused countless deaths and displacement, leading many, including myself, to seek refuge in countries like New Zealand.”
Wellington On a Plate manager Beth Brash said the burger should not have been accepted into the competition in the first place.
“We have comprehensive guidelines for participants in Wellington On a Plate and these guidelines make it clear that we won’t accept any entries that are likely to cause offence.
“Unfortunately, our team didn’t fully understand that this burger would cause offence.”
Several members of the local Colombian community made contact to explain the concept was hurtful and offensive, Brash said.
Brash said Wellington On a Plate gave Ernesto’s the opportunity to change the burger but the parties could not reach a compromise.
The burger was therefore removed from the competition, Brash said.
Burger Wellington finalists announced
An independent panel of judges will assess five finalists in the Burger Wellington competition before the winner is announced on Monday.
A Frankenstein Adventure by Zephyr Cafe features a spiced fried chicken with lettuce, cucumber, Olivo infused sambal, and Mighty Greens micro greens in a pandan coconut sesame bun, with coconut and butterfly pea flower rice crisps.
A Frankenstein Adventure burger by Zephyr Cafe.
Celebration of Spices by Sushil’s Musclechef Kitchen and Cafe features South Indian spiced dum chicken, masala egg, onion raita, tamarind date chutney, Kāpiti smoked cheddar in a Zaida’s Challah bun, with Chettinad spiced fries and Saint John Apostle’s hot sauce infused aioli and Food Nerd freeze-dried chilli.
Double Happiness by Apache features two Dragon Express bao buns.
The first, Les Poules Epicees, has crispy fried chicken with spicy and salty caramel, makrut lime mayonnaise, iceberg, Vietnamese herbs, and house pickles.
The second, Banh Mi Pork, has a smashed beef and pork patty with grilled pork belly, housemade pate, hot sauce, iceberg, Vietnamese herbs and house pickles.
The Double Happiness burgers by Apache.
Mucho Crunch Birria by Elemental Eats features a smashed beef patty with Birria pulled beef, mozzarella, capsicum sauce, fried corn tortilla, red onion, coriander, jalapeño and sour cream in a Ben’s Buns milk brioche bun, with dipping consommé.
Nawabi Galouti by One80 features a Galouti lamb patty, pulled lamb shoulder filo cigar, lamb snow, ghee, coriander, Zany Zeus mint labneh, and chicory in a Clareville Bakery croissant bun, with gunpowder podi fries.
Brash said the competition had been fierce and fun this year.
“Burger Wellington is more than an annual celebration of the humble burger – it’s a chance for chefs to show off their skill and creativity – and boy, did Wellington’s chefs creative this year! We’ve had burgers inspired by everything from roadkill to Willy Wonka.”
Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.
