Wellington On a Plate burger ‘censored’ over name inspired by Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar

Ernesto’s Restaurant & Bar's burger ‘Pablo Escoburger’ has been removed from Wellington on a Plate after members of the Colombian community found it offensive. Photo / Supplied

A Wellington burger has been booted out of a capital culinary competition after the Colombian Embassy complained about its name which took inspiration from the infamous cocaine trafficker Pablo Escobar.

Ernesto’s Cocina Cubana designed a special burger for this year’s Wellington On a Plate festival.

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 Medellín cartel. He was dubbed the ‘The King of Cocaine’ and oversaw violent crimes including kidnappings, bombings and murders.

Ernesto’s owner Steve Drummond did not think they had pushed the boundaries too far.

“It’s just a play on words and the concept should be taken in the context that it’s been delivered - it’s a great burger that is Colombian-inspired and we wanted to have a bit of fun with it as well.”

They were not celebrating anything Escobar had done, Drummond said.

“We think the vast majority of people are going to see it for what it is ... it’s a little bit humorous and a bit tongue in cheek.”

Drummond said the burger was well received when they tested it with Ernesto’s customer base and some friends in the Latino community.

However, the Embassy of Colombia to Australia took offence.

Embassy charge d’affaires Esther Margarita Arias Cuentas sent a letter to Drummond.

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.”

Colombian drug runner Pablo Escobar is at the centre of a name dispute involving a burger.

New Zealand Refugee Advisory Panel member Jose Tombe also complained in a personal capacity saying Ernesto’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 earlier this month 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 has therefore been removed from the competition, Brash said,

Drummond said he offered to speak with one of the complainants.

The ‘Pablo Escoburger’. Photo / Supplied

He felt Earnesto’s did everything they could to “appease” Wellington On a Plate, including changing the name, photography and burger description.

However, the acceptable compromise would have been an entirely new burger, Drummond said.

“It’s a bummer to not be in Wellington On a Plate. We’re a bit annoyed that Wellington On a Plate and council aren’t supporting hospo, it’s very tough out there with lots of closures in Wellington.”

Wellington City Council noted it provides principal funding to Wellington On a Plate - a festival designed to help hospitality in the traditionally quieter winter months.

Similar concerns were raised in 2019 when a pop-up restaurant in Melbourne also offered a Pablo Ecobar-inspired burger. Some people said it was disrespectful but the restaurant owners said Australians knew how to have a good laugh about a play on words.

Ernesto’s has decided to still offer the controversial burger, separate from Wellington On a Plate, and it will be available from Wednesday.

It features a beef and brisket patty with pulled pork, pineapple buñuelo, kettle patata fritas, Kāpiti cheese, fresh butter lettuce, spicy pink sauce and aji sauce in a Brezelmania fry bread bun.

It’s now called the ‘Censored’ burger.

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.