Finally, Another Michael's Burger Lover
We just found Charles Passy's take on last week's Burger Bash, and we could not agree more:
Lesson No. 2: A famous chef can make a really bad burger. At the Rachael Ray-hosted Burger Bash, one of the festival's most popular events, chefs from all over the country vie for the honor of top dog (er, burger).YES. Thank you. Why was no one else talking about that burger? It was awesome. The potato chips on Bobby Flay's burger (which we admittedly did not get a chance to try) reminded us of the little french fries on fritas cubanas, of which we're not a big fan. And in our opinion, meaty burgers > sliders. So Schwartz's burger was a clear winner to us. Lucky for everyone, that same burger is on the regular lunch menu at the restaurant.Among the big names on hand: Bobby Flay, Katie Lee Joel (wife of Billy), Masaharu Morimoto. But it often seemed as if the bigger the name, the bigger disappointment of a burger they served. Take Bobby Flay's over-the-top rendition with a bleu cheese sauce and crumbled potato chips. There was so much going on flavor- and texture-wise that I had to ask, "Where's the beef?"
Lesson No. 3: An unknown chef can make a really great burger. Not that I'd call Miami's Michael Schwartz (of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink) a complete unknown, but he's hardly a household name outside South Florida. And yet, he had the best burger - in my book, at least - among the 20-plus competitors at the Burger Bash. The secret? He kept to the classic bacon cheeseburger formula (why mess with success?), but just upped the quality of the individual ingredients, from heirloom tomatoes to a thickly cut bacon that he prepares himself. Bravo!
Five lessons (culinary and celebrity) from South Beach festival [Palm Beach Post]
Michael's Genuine Food & Drink [MenuPages]
Michael's Genuine Food & Drink [Official Site]
