We’ll let others settle the debate on whether smash burgers or steakhouse burgers reign supreme. That’s because we happen to think all burgers are pretty darn delicious—especially those we order out. Even with top-notch recipes like The Perfect Basic Burger, The Twenty Dollar Burger, and a Copycat In-N-Out Double-Double Animal-Style Burger in our arsenals, our DIY dishes never quite live up to those we’re served at restaurants. Which got us wondering, ‘What might we be missing?’
“Restaurant burgers usually taste better because we obsess over the details most home cooks don’t consider,” admits Jeff Martin, chef and partner at Park Cafe, Germantown Cafe and Karrington Rowe. “The biggest key is restraint. Restaurants don’t necessarily do more; we do less, but better.”
With a teaser like that, we couldn’t resist peeking under the bun to get to the bottom of how to make a better burger, chef-style.
Our Panel of Burger-Savvy Chefs
- Eve Aronoff, chef and founder of Frita Batidos in Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Chad Brown, executive chef at Bourbon Steak New York in New York City
- Diego Chaparro, head chef at Warren Street Bar & Restaurant in New York City
- Chris Cortez, executive chef at Fandi Mata in Brooklyn, New York
- Aram Mardigian, executive chef at Borgata’s American Bar and Grille in Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Jeff Martin, chef and partner at Park Cafe, Germantown Cafe and Karrington Rowe in Nashville, Tennessee
8 Chef-Approved Tips To Make Your Burgers Taste as Good as a Restaurant’s …