Big Flavor, Great Stories: Meet Our 2026 Build a Better Burger Finalists!

Some of the best recipes start with a memory: a favorite family meal, a summer vacation, or a burger so good you’re still thinking about it years later. Our 2026 Sutter Home Build a Better Burger finalists have turned their inspirations into five delicious reasons to fire up the grill.

From bold southwestern flavors to a taste of the Maryland boardwalk, this year’s lineup brings plenty of personality to the plate. Meet the five home cooks behind the burgers, learn the stories behind their creations, and discover the Sutter Home wines carefully selected to perfectly complement each recipe.

Finalist: Michelle O’Connell | Mooresville, NC

Italian Sausage Burger | Wine Pairing: Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon

Sunday dinner meets the backyard grill in Michelle O’Connell’s Italian Sausage Burger. Hot and sweet Italian sausages give the patty its savory flavor and touch of spice, while provolone cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and peppery arugula add even more to love. Served on a ciabatta bun with garlic-basil mayonnaise, this burger gives familiar Italian ingredients a delicious new home.

“My family enjoys grilled foods, and I wanted to create a burger that incorporated traditional Italian flavors that we would all enjoy,” Michelle shares.

Her wine pairing takes its cue from another favorite meal: Sunday pasta with sausage and tomato sauce. Michelle enjoys Cabernet Sauvignon alongside those savory flavors, making Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon a natural choice for her burger, too. It’s a fresh take on a family favorite, with a familiar pairing to bring it all together.

Finalist: Clark Neal | Sautee Nacoochee, GA

The Smokey Firebird Burger | Wine Pairing: Sutter Home Pinot Grigio

Clark Neal is bringing the heat, and plenty of freshness, with The Smokey Firebird Burger. Turkey and chorizo come together with green chiles and warm southwestern spices, while a smoky, spicy aioli adds a creamy kick. Crisp iceberg lettuce and fresh pico de gallo round things out with crunch and brightness, all tucked into a toasted sesame seed bun.

For Clark, the perfect pairing wasn’t an afterthought. It was the starting point.

“I knew immediately that my wine of choice was Sutter Home Pinot Grigio,” he shares.

With his wine selected, Clark created a burger to complement its flavor profile. He describes the pairing as a refreshing counterpoint to his southwestern-inspired creation, “where fire and freshness collide.” Now that’s a delicious place to start!

Finalist: Bill Othick | Centerville, OH

The Old Fashion Sixties Burger | Wine Pairing: Sutter Home White Zinfandel

Sometimes, building a better burger means looking back at the ones you’ve loved most. Inspired by his mother’s burgers, Bill Othick’s The Old Fashion Sixties Burger gives a classic a few delicious upgrades. Ground short rib and chuck form the patty, which is topped with American cheese, sweet onion, tomato, lettuce, and a homemade sauce, all served on a brioche bun. His selected pairing is Sutter Home White Zinfandel.

After making hundreds of burgers, from simple favorites to more adventurous creations, Bill keeps coming back to this one. He credits his signature meat mixture and “Mother’s Crazy Sauce” as the ingredients that set it apart. The freshly made sauce is a favorite beyond the burger bun too; he also serves it with fries and onion rings.

Bill calls this burger “my go-to recipe day in and day out!” With a lifetime of burger-making behind it, that’s a recommendation worth bringing to your next cookout.

Finalist: Lidia Haddadian | Pasadena, CA

Chilaquiles de Res Burger | Wine Pairing: Sutter Home White Zinfandel

Why choose between two favorites when you can bring them together? Lidia Haddadian’s Chilaquiles de Res Burger combines Mexican and American culinary traditions in one generously layered creation. A patty made with ground chuck, brisket, and beef chorizo is topped with tortilla chips, smoky salsa roja, cool avocado crema, a fried egg, and Cotija cheese for a delicious mix of flavors and textures.

Inspired by her love of global cuisine and Southern California’s many culinary influences, Lidia wanted to think beyond the traditional burger. Her standout ingredients? Beef chorizo in the patty and chipotle in adobo in the salsa roja.

“Both these ingredients elevate my Chilaquiles de Res Burger, creating layers of deliciousness in every bite,” she says.

Once her burger was created, Lidia selected Sutter Home White Zinfandel. Its fruity flavor and hint of sweetness complement the rich beef chorizo and balance the smoky chipotle heat, making a refreshing match for this flavor-packed burger.

Finalist: Benjamin Stoviak | Pittsburgh, PA

Maryland Boardwalk Crab Pretzel Burgers | Wine Pairing: Sutter Home Chardonnay

Benjamin Stoviak’s Maryland Boardwalk Crab Pretzel Burgers bring a little seaside inspiration to the table. Sweet lump crab takes center stage in the patties, with sharp cheddar, garlic hot sauce butter, and toasted pretzel buns delivering the rich, savory flavors of a Maryland crab pretzel. This isn’t a burger with crab added on top, the crab is the star!

Behind the recipe is a collection of treasured family memories: childhood trips from Pittsburgh to Ocean City and the crab dip Benjamin’s mom made every year for his birthday. After she passed away, he found her handwritten recipe and began making it for his own family.

“To me, it represents vacation and adventure, but also home and togetherness,” Benjamin explains.

His pairing, Sutter Home Chardonnay, brings buttery character and subtle oak to complement the sweet crab, sharp cheddar, and toasted pretzel while balancing the burger’s gentle heat. It’s a pairing inspired by Maryland summers and the people who make them memorable.

Five Finalists. Plenty of Cookout Inspiration.

A favorite place, a family tradition, a fresh idea, there’s more than one way to build a better burger. This year’s finalists remind us that the stories behind our recipes can be just as memorable as the meals themselves.

Congratulations to all five of Sutter Home’s 2026 Build a Better Burger finalists! Here’s to creative home cooks, delicious wine pairings, and gathering around the table to share them.