Ballarat hospitality venues offer special treat this National Burger Day

Plate Up Ballarat is promoting burgers from 17 different venues around Ballarat for pick up and delivery from Thursday to Sunday.

The collaborative special event comes at a tough time for hospitality businesses as an effort to create an exciting food offering for the community.

But it is also an example of how the industry has worked together and supported other businesses throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Plate Up Ballarat director Kate Davis said she hoped the focus on one of Ballarat's most loved foods would bring some joy and fun during a tough time for businesses.

"The most amazing thing for me was to see how the businesses all wanted to work together," she said.

"I think it is true testament to our hospitality industry that they have showed true leadership and collaboration"

Buninyong restaurant The Shared Table is offering a chicken a Tsukune chicken burger in a milk bun, with Tonkatsu sauce, pickles, Kewpie, rocket and wasabi and honey dressing.

Owner and chef Dianne Ray said it had been a struggle for the restaurant during the coronavirus pandemic, as it opened only five months before it was forced to switch to a takeaway only model.

But she said being involved with Plate Up Ballarat had helped get the 'word out' about her offering.

"It was like I had spent two years getting this business developed... a lot of thought had gone into creating it," she said.

"It was like getting to the end of a marathon and someone said at the end of it turn around and run again. To try to recreate what we do again has been constantly quite challenging."

The Turret Cafe is offering a Cajun BBQ beef burger for National Burger Day.

Owner Carmel West said it was great to be apart of an event that involved other hospitality venues in Ballarat.

"This has been a really great opportunity to support each other and understand everyone is going through the same thing," she said.

"We are here supporting each other and working through it. Ballarat is wonderful. The community has been supporting us.

"I think as a whole the industry will be fine. We will keep adapting and changing according to everyone's and the government's needs."

The Hop Temple's Brian Taylor said the hospitality industry would thrive again.

"The community will support the hospitality industry," he said.

"It may take some time, but I think the hospitality industry for a long time had to adapt to changes and this is just another one it needs to adapt and change with. It will and it will prosper."

Visit the Plate Up Ballarat Facebook page for information on all the burgers on offer and a map of where to find them.

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