Country Grocer chef Tony Neale has a cousin in Nyngan and knows just how hard the drought is hitting people on the land in many parts of NSW.
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Living on the coast he knows seeing green grass makes it hard to appreciate just how tough the extended drought is on thousands of families who rely on the land to make their living. And how many have had little rain or income in years.
So he has created a drought burger he is calling Bruce Almighty to help all our country cousins.
To coincide with Bruce Almighty going on the menu on Saturday the Country Grocer is hosting an event at 11am that is being supported by many businesses in Unanderra.
For the Country Grocer chef Deidre and Toby Maciverney are the names he knows well that give the drought personal meaning.
"When I got out to Nyngan and visited my cousin there are cracks in the soil you can put your whole hand down," he said.
As a commercial cook Mr Neale knows how much produce comes from rural communities and how dire the situation is on the land.
So about a month ago he came up with the idea of creating a four kilogram hamburger larger than the Almighty Burger already on the menu and staging an event with it to raise money for people on the land in desperate need.
"The Bruce Almighty Burger is over four kilos so we ran a competition on our app to choose five teams of five people randomly to try and eat it within 30 minutes," Mr Neale said.
"The first team that does eat it will get $1000 worth of groceries. On Saturday at 11am we are also having raffles where all the local businesses have donated prizes for to raise money for the farmers drought appeal".
Mr Neale said Country Grocer had more than 60 teams enter on the app for a chance to be one of the five teams to attempt to eat the five burgers that each weigh in over four kilograms.
"The winning teams were ecstatic when I contacted them," he said.
Mr Neale said he used a considerable amount of local produce at Unanderra as well and what many don't realise is many local suppliers are also struggling with dry conditions.
The grass may be greener this side of the Great Dividing Range but rainfall for 2019 is still significantly below average.
Mr Neale said he planned to make the Bruce Almighty Challenge an annual event for charity every year.
"We are going to have a jumping castle, face painting, food tastings a lamington drive, Chris's famous cold brewed coffee and things like that to make it a family day," he said.
"The response has been amazing. People are constantly coming in asking how they can be part of it.
"And when I walk down the street people come up to me and call me Bruce. They are loving it because there is a great cause behind it.
"And we are putting the burger on the menu on Saturday as a family thing. We hope families will get the burger take it away and consume it together".
Mr Neale said many of the neighbouring shops are doing things on Saturday as well as part of the giving spirit to help the farmers.
"Every cent we raise will go to the farmers," he said.
Asked if he thinks if anyone could eat the Bruce Almighty on their own Mr Neale said he doesn't think so.
"We have had a couple of dummy runs with the young guys out the back but no they haven't been able to eat one on their own".
Mr Neale said if no team of two manages to eat a whole burger on Saturday the vouchers will be distributed among the teams with the greatest amount being given to those who eat the most.
"We want to do more charity events throughout the year," he said.
"This one is also a chance for people to get together and sample some of the produce from the farms".
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