Burger Week: Pressure to dress up a classic is intense

The days leading up to Burger Week is a stressful time for Georges Najjar, owner of Le Gourmet Burger in downtown Montreal.

When it comes to recreating a burger, Najjar says he's done it all, from carmelized onions tofruit and nut preserves.

Really, how much can you do with a beef patty and bread?

"All August I was going crazy,' Najjar Burger told CBC's Daybreak. "They kept emailing me asking what was my burger. The team at Burger Week want to know what's going on."

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After several tries, Najjar finally came up with this: beef patty, lettuce, maple onion confit and cheddar. In a pancake bun, crisped with melted cheese on the outside. He calls it thePK Burger, but it's not named afterthe former Canadiens defenceman.

"PK stands for pancake," he said.

Looking through the 40 or so contenders for this year's burger crown, the PK Burgerdoes stand out from the crowd. There are of course, those that stretch the definition of a burger, like the Burger Dog proposed by Bar Brutus on Beaubien Street.

Some entries don't even look like a burger, like this creation from Monsieur Resto+Bar on Bleury Street.

"Everyone does foie gras, mac and cheese, and this year I feel the creativity is getting less," he said.

Another standout is the Grand Sumac burger offered by vegetarian chain Copper Branch. Although it's based on beets and carrots, executive chef Neil Elsmore swears it will please avowed carnivores.

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"The patty has to have consistency that's somewhat like meat, otherwise it doesn't hold up at all," he said.

Burger Week runs until Wednesday.