• by Tanya Gazdik , April 7, 2015

Budweiser is partnering with award-winning chef David Chang to conduct a coast-to-coast tour to find the first-ever Bud & Burgers Champion.

The Bud & Burgers Championships will come to 10 events across the country where select contestants will compete head-to-head. The champion will win $100,000 to follow their culinary ambitions.

A new cooking competition series, working title “United States of Burgers,” will also premiere on the Esquire Network this summer. “United States of Burgers” is a six-episode food competition series where foodies and amateur chefs compete in head-to-head battles in the search for the perfect burger to pair with Budweiser. The Bud & Burgers Champion will win a place as a finalist in the series.            .

The winner of the Bud & Burgers Championship will get $100,000 to support their culinary ambitions.

Burger enthusiasts 21 and older can submit a video or photo showing their burger and explaining why they should be the 2015 Bud & Burgers Champion. Semifinalists will compete head-to-head at events including Stagecoach Music Festival, Free Press Summer Fest and Chicago Blues Festival.

The competition will culminate at the finale event hosted by Budweiser and Chef Chang at the Budweiser Brewery in St. Louis on July 11, where the Bud & Burgers Champion will be crowned. Chang will join Budweiser’s brewmasters as a judge at the final event.

The promotion is geared toward food enthusiasts, burger and beer lovers, says Brian Perkins, vice president, Budweiser.

“Honestly, it’s for everyone,” Perkins tells Marketing Daily. “Who doesn’t like a delicious burger with an ice-cold beer? We believe Budweiser is the best beer to pair with burgers.”

Beyond the Bud & Burgers Championships events, fans can follow along and show their support during the program, which includes a new national TV commercial campaign. The brand is publicizing the contest on Facebook and Twitter  using the hashtag #BudandBurgers.

“We’re seeing a renewed interest in both burgers and beer -- and Budweiser is using this program to rally people around two American staples: Bud and burgers,” Perkins says. “We’ve explored this concept in the past and know there is an appetite for it, but have been waiting to do it in an impactful way. We believe we’ve done that with this search and by bringing it to life with an actual TV series.”