Liz Biro

liz.biro@indystar.com

Does Detour American Grille & Bar in Fishers or Punch Burger in Indianapolis make the best burger in the world?

We'll find out this week as the two restaurants compete in the World Food Championships Wednesday to Nov. 18 in Las Vegas.

Other Indianapolis-area contestants headed to Vegas are The Local Eatery & Pub's chef Cory Rasco, competing in the sandwich category; Craig Baker, co-owner of Plow & Anchor and The Local Eatery & Pub, competing in the seafood category; and Caleb Anderson, a culinary student at the Art Institutes of Indianapolis, competing in the World Chef Challenge.

Detour American Grille & Bar, 10158 Brooks School Road, Fisher, qualified when its Boss Hog Burger won the September Bull Burger Battle hosted by Family Leisure home superstore in Indianapolis.

The Boss Hog is a certified Angus patty topped with pulled pork barbecue, cheddar cheese, bacon, and homemade coleslaw.

"We hope to show them who's the 'Boss' in Vegas,'" Detour co-owner Mark Maddox said.

Punch Burger's Indy Burger Battle win this summer earned that restaurant, 137 E. Ohio St., the chance to compete in the World Food Championships.

The Indy Burger Battle people's choice winner was Punch Burger's Slamma Jamma burger topped with cheddar and ghost pepper cheese. Punch Burger riffs off the idea for the World Food Championships with an unnamed burger hosting ghost pepper and cheddar cheeses, pickled onions, Asian slaw, sweet chili sauce, peanut butter and an over-easy egg, Punch Burger general manager Matt McGraw said. He'll join Punch Burger co-owner Travis Sealls at the event.

The pair of burgers are among 50 entries from throughout the U.S.

The World Food Championships selects competitors from among winners of local competitions and cook-offs. This year, some 500 professional and amateur cooks face off in tournament-style, live contests for a share of the event's $300,000 prize purse. The title of World Food Champion is bestowed in 10 categories: burgers, sandwiches, seafood, chef, barbecue, chili, desserts, bacon, pasta and recipe.

Category competitions at Las Vegas' Fremont Street Experience and Downtown Las Vegas Event Center are free and open to the public.

Call Liz Biro at (317) 444-6264. Follow her on Twitter @lizbiro, Instagram @lizbirodish and Facebook. Email her at liz.biro@indystar.com.