Chef David Chang has a lot of opinions about burgers. Most of them are complimentary, but he does note that “…one of the most boring things about hamburgers is talking about what hamburgers you like.” In that spirit, he put together a manifesto listing things he doesn’t like about the modern burger for Lucky Peach.
For starters, Chang doesn’t like it when burgers get too fancy (“save the truffles for a dish you can’t eat at a rest stop”), and feels that putting salad greens on a burger overshoots the mark as well. “It’s iceberg or bust,” he says, noting that anything else would be overwhelmed by the meat patty and bun, anyway.
Chang also rails against grass-fed beef, arguing that “it’s too lean and the fat content is not evenly distributed,” making the final product mealy and unappetizing. In his view, “a medium-rare burger made with really good meat” is the Platonic ideal, and tinkering with it too much just ruins it.
To read his full list, click here.
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