The Changing Face of Burgers

Who would have thought that the burger – the ultimate product of the fast-food revolution – could become even more popular? But it's happening.

No longer is a burger 'just' a burger. There's a fast-growing divide between the high-street burger served by QSRs and a new breed of 'premium' burger – where provenance, cut and cooking techniques are studied in-depth by fanatical food-obsessives looking to create the perfect burger.

But that's not to say one particular type of burger is right or wrong – each serves its own purpose. Smart caterers are taking inspiration from both extremes, whether they're independent or group-owned, across pubs, B&I, Travel & Leisure outlets and – of course – QSR units.

As ever, the USA is partly to blame. High-street operators have followed the American model to extol the benefits of personalising your own burger – from the number of patties to the type of sauce, salad and even bun.

By contrast, a rising number of puritanical burger bars and 'pop-up' restaurants have been delivering their vision of the perfect burger. And these guys are making some serious waves.

Having set up as a 'wildly hip travelling burger bar' (to quote one review), one operator called The Meat Wagon (www.themeatwagon.co.uk) developed a fanatical customer-base earlier this year, notching up rave reviews and plenty of online hype. The organisers further enthralled the London foodie community by opening a pop-up restaurant (Meateasy) above a closed-down pub, before the doors closed in April.

Meanwhile, tickets for another series of pop-up events in London focussing on the humble burger – 'BurgerMonday' (see www.youngandfoodish.com for details) sell out within hours of going on sale.

So why so popular? It's impossible to say for sure, but we know that consumers are increasingly looking to out of home food to deliver an 'experience' – so whether it's a QSR serving a good quality, 'personalised' burger or a trendy pop-up, the theatre around serving what was once – in essence – a hot sandwich – has increased dramatically. As has the demand for cost-effective, casual dining – which suits the burger just perfectly.

Caterers looking to capitalise on this trend must focus on the core ingredients – and highlight them on their menu. From the type of meat (and its provenance), through to a good quality cheese that melts well on the burger, take some time to create your vision of the perfect burger – one that suits your catering environment, and adds value (and a little theatre) to your menu.

Sure enough, your customers will soon realise that no longer is a burger 'just' a burger.

Adrian Coulter, Food Development Chef, Kerry

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