Mainely Burgers, a gourmet burger food truck that was launched two years ago by two Cape Elizabeth High School alumni, is finishing up its third season and has gained more popularity than ever.

This summer, Mainely Burgers was featured in the fifth season of the Cooking Channel’s “Eat St.,” and was the 2014 winner of Battle of the Food Trucks at Stonewall Kitchen in York.

Lifelong friends Jack Barber and Ben Berman opened the windows to Mainely Burgers in the summer of 2012, just as they finished their first year of college. Every year, from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the truck sets up daily at Scarborough Beach State Park on Black Point Road from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Beginning this season, Barber’s younger brother, Max, has stepped up to help to run the business, after Berman left the company to pursue an internship in Boston. Berman is studying economics and sociology at Tufts University. Barber is pursuing a degree in finance at Babson College, while Max, who is entering his sophomore year at Babson, is undecided.

There is one thing he knows for sure: “I have always loved food,” said Max Barber, whose grandfather, Gus Barber, founded Barber Foods in Portland.

“Our whole family is filled with extreme foodies,” said Max Barber. “I have always been a fan of customer service, and I love being able to talk to people. I am obsessed with cooking and coming up with recipes.”

Mainely Burgers operates out of a building at 108 Saint John St. in Portland, but the young entrepreneurs have been catering at various events all over Maine, serving up their gourmet menu items, including the popular burger, “the Mainah,” said Jack Barber.

He also owns Mainely Treats, an ice cream truck that first hit the streets July 4, 2013. The brothers said they have recently started operating both Mainely Treats and Mainely Burgers side by side at events.

“We did a wedding with both trucks. We were both dinner and the dessert,” said Jack Barber.

Mainely Burgers has been approached about opening a restaurant, but for the busy college students, “it’s a big step,” he said.

Their “Mainah” burger is made with cheddar cheese, sliced apple, saute?ed onions, bacon and maple mayo. Last year, the burger won Eater Maine’s “Best Burger in Maine.”

According to Jack Barber, Mainely Burgers, which has gained recognition during the last two years and now has 17 employees on the payroll, decided to pursue more catering events this summer.

“We’ve been as far as Camden for a wedding and Union for an antiques festival,” said Jack Barber. Mainely Burgers also sets up shop at concerts and graduations, birthday parties, and annual events like Tri for a Cure.

During the Battle of the Food Trucks at Stonewall Kitchen, Max said Mainely Burgers and four other contestants had to create their own menu items using Stonewall ingredients.

“People voted on which product they thought was the best,” Max Barber said. “We featured the Mainah (burger) using Stonewall Kitchen’s maple bacon aioli and maple bacon jam, with our maple bacon mayo.”

“That was a busy day,” he said of the event, which attracted 500-600 people. “It was an awesome turnout.”

Aside from catering events, Max said much of Mainely Burgers’ success comes from the opportunity to set up daily at busy Scarborough Beach, where there is a lot of foot traffic. The food truck will close for the season on Labor Day and will reopen on Memorial Day 2015.

When the brothers go back to school this fall, they will continue to do basic accounting, and book weddings and other events for Mainely Burgers.

The food truck catered its first wedding last summer, mainly serving appetizers late into the evening, but during the last year, business has really picked up “to the point that we are doing the actual dinner service,” Jack Barber said.

Last week, the brothers said they were planning to offer a burger bar that next day at a 140-guest wedding. Just this season, the business has catered five weddings, concerts and several graduation parties.

The business is completely run by high school and college students, said Jack Barber. And the Barber brothers say employees are “just as passionate” about the business as they are, which has contributed to Mainely Burgers’ success.

“We are not just flipping burgers,” said Max Barber.

Employees have also taken on more managerial roles, he said, from selling merchandise to advertising, sales and managing social media.

Mainely Burgers’ episode on “Eat St.” aired on July 31 and a viewing party was held at Ri Ra Irish Pub & Restaurant in Portland to celebrate the accomplishment.

The Eat St. episode showcased what Mainely Burgers is all about, said Jack Barber, including three of its specialty burgers: the “Mainah,” the “Red, White and Bleu” and “Le Eiffel.” It showed how the business makes it burgers, from seasoning the meat to how sauces are made.

“It was a really special moment for us to culminate our second year (in business),” he said. “It was a ton of fun.”

The idea of Mainely Burgers began when he and Berman arrived at school in Boston in 2012.

But why burgers?

“It’s something that everyone is familiar with,” said Jack Barber. “We were able to put a twist on it. It was a nice jumping-off point.”

While the business prides itself on gourmet burgers, Max Barber said, “You can still get a really good cheeseburger with ketchup for your kid or you can get more creative. You can have some fun with a burger, for sure,” he said.

“It’s in our blood,” said Max Barber, of the business.

Mainely Burgers’ meat, produce and buns are delivered fresh daily from local suppliers. The Barber brothers say that it’s not just the creative and high-quality menu that attracts customers, but also the commitment and energy of its employees.

“The business wouldn’t be where it is today if it wasn’t for them,” said Jack Barber.

Along with the burgers, the brothers have been cooking up fried Brussels sprouts and cauliflower this season, which they say has been a hit, even with kids. Ingredients include a gluten-free soy sauce, garlic, sesame seeds and brown sugar.

“It’s great for weddings, and it’s a nice alternative for those who don’t want French fries,” said Jack Barber of the new menu item. “It’s unique and it’s fun for customers to try. The kids love them.”

With staff members behind him, Max Barber, co-owner of Mainely Burgers food truck, holds up a poster that the business received as the 2014 winner of Stonewall Kitchen’s Battle of the Food Trucks competition earlier this month. Mainely Burgers was also featured on Season 5 of the Cooking Channel’s “Eat St.”