Corkfire at Temecula Creek Inn won the Judge's Choice award at the sixth annual Battle of the Burgers on Saturday, Oct. 10. The restaurant's Banh Mi Burger beat seven competitors at Pechanga Resort Casino.

The Breakfast Club of Temecula earned the People's Choice title with its Dynamite Burger. A sold-out crowd of more than 400 sampled entries from eight local restaurants, raising a record $13,314 for Temecula Valley Unified's Career Technical Education Culinary Arts Program, according to Visit Temecula Valley.

The winning Banh Mi Burger featured smoked pork and veal, char siu, house pickles, lemongrass chimichurri, hydroponic lettuce, charred pepper spread and a leek ash bun. The Dynamite Burger paired an 8-ounce grass-fed patty with a grilled jalapeño pepper, pepper Jack cheese and chipotle mayo.

Ebullition Brew Works Pub & Grill's Rad to the Bone, an 8-ounce Wagyu patty with bone marrow butter and pickled Fresno chiles, placed second in both categories. Hendo's Barrel House took third in the Judge's Choice, and Pinnacle Restaurant at Falkner Winery placed third in the People's Choice.

Wind and rain from Tropical Storm Rachel swept through during the noon to 3 p.m. event. The crowd stuck around. CBS Los Angeles reported that attendees and judges tasted entries despite the storm.

Pechanga Resort Casino Executive Chef Marlene Moore said the event sparks something in the students who participate. "It just gets that passion going, it just gets you thinking," Moore said. "And now you're like, 'Yes! I want to go. I saw that chef, I worked for that chef and I want to be like that chef.'"

Pechanga chefs worked alongside Temecula Valley High School CTE Culinary Arts students to create loaded fries for the competition. Chef Edward Hyman and TVHS students Abner Yat and Sebastian Pablo Tomas won the Judge's Choice for loaded fries with The Olympian, a Cajun-spiced creation from Paisano's topped with grilled chicken, tzatziki and skhug.

The CTE Culinary Arts program enrolls more than 350 students, according to CBS Los Angeles. It is one of 12 CTE pathways offered through the district, according to Visit Temecula Valley. Ahead of the event, Jenni Huter, TVUSD's CTE work-based learning facilitator, told the Press-Enterprise the competition had raised about $30,000 over the prior three years.

Aimee Ricken, CTE director for Temecula Valley Unified, praised the collaboration between students, chefs and restaurants in a post-event statement.

As we reported Thursday, Oct. 8, the event is a collaboration between Visit Temecula Valley, Pechanga Resort Casino and the school district. Last year's competition raised more than $12,000, making the 2026 total a new high.

All winning burgers are available at the winning restaurants through Dec. 31.