When she entered the Sutter Home Winery's Build a Better Burger contest last summer, vegetable crops lab assistant Karen McVarish wasn't just looking to improve on the common backyard griller.

She wanted to create a gourmet recipe combining her love of vegetables with a formula that was just what the judges wanted.

"When you are doing a recipe contest, the judges are looking for something a bit different," McVarish said.

She accomplished that by preparing two burgers - one a veal burger with sautéed shiitake mushrooms sitting in a bed of fennel, and the other a "Relleno Burger with Fresh Chili Mango Salsa."

The chile burger eventually made McVarish one of five national finalists in the competition and earned her and husband, Ian, a weekend stay on the winery's grounds in St. Helena. The feat was just one in a long line of culinary successes. McVarish has also taken home first- place honors in contests at food-themed fests such as the Stockton Asparagus Festival and represented California at a national chicken cook-off. Her cooking prowess has been profiled in the Sacramento Bee.

And unlike some chefs, McVarish is an everyday cook, wowing co-workers when she brings in leftovers such as chicken-rice soup with tomato and escarole.

McVarish has worked for the vegetable crops department for 19 years. In the early 1990s, while still working part-time for the university, she also briefly explored a culinary career, completing a certificate program in commercial food preparation and an internship with the University Club's catering service. But when a full-time position opened up in her department, she jumped on that.

Today she happily performs a number of duties for the department including administrative tasks, washing glassware, training student employees, organizing socials and designing seminar flyers.

And although McVarish doesn't get to work much within in the scientific aspects of the department "sometimes I get to talk vegetables," she said.

McVarish lives in Davis with her husband, who owns an ad agency, and their son, Robin, a Sacramento City College student. Older son Gabe studies music at the Royal Academy of Arts and Drama in Scotland, and daughter Jill is an artist in Phoenix.

McVarish will gather with much of her family next week for Thanksgiving. She'll bring rolls and pies to a potluck at her sister-in-law's Bay Area home.

The baked goods will be far from average. The sourdough pumpkin rolls will be so flavorful they won't need to be buttered. And the apple-cranberry and pumpkin-and-caramelized-nut pies will be baked in fancy patterned crusts.

"The garnishing and presentation are important," McVarish said. "They help guests feel special."

Do you have a favorite cookbook?

One of my favorite resources is Eating Well magazine. They published for six or seven years and then went out of business. Now they are back. They are a great inspiration for me. Time-Life has also published a series of books, the Healthy Home series. I've learned a great deal from working with these recipes. And, being me, once I've tried a recipe I often improvise on it.

What's your favorite food to prepare?

Vegetables. They tend to be fresh, light and clean-tasting, and there's such diversity and color. There's a bit of artist in me, and there's such a broad palette to work with.

When you eat out, where do you enjoy eating?

One of my favorite places in the area is Morrison's in Woodland. It's in an old Victorian building on the third floor. Another place is Gorman's in Yolo. They both serve California-style food.

What's your favorite part of your job?

Designing the posters and flyers. Right out of high school I did an apprenticeship in a design studio. After that I never imagined that I'd end up in the graphic arts field because it's so competitive.

How about the least favorite?

Probably washing the glassware. It's kind of boring.

What's your favorite place on campus?

As time goes by and my workload gets heavier and heavier; I don't get out much. I enjoy my visits to Dutton Hall. I go over there a couple of times a week to go to the cashier's offices. I like the openness and the airiness of the building.

What other things besides cooking do you enjoy in your free time?

• enjoy all types of art. I would love to sew, but because cooking is something you have to do, I'm pretty much focused on that.

Are you working on any other contest recipes?

Not right now. I just finished the fall social for the department, and now I'm catching up. I'd enter the Build A Better Burger Contest again. I've never entered a contest that was so nice. •