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National Burger Day: How it stopped being just fast food and became haute cuisine too

National Burger Day is celebrated every May 28. Here is a review of the evolution of one of the most consumed dishes on the planet.

The burger is no longer just fast food but also haute cuisine

The burger is no longer just fast food but also haute cuisineAFP.

Alejandro Baños
Published by
Alejandro Baños

There was a time when the burger was synonymous with haste: it was served in five minutes and eaten in less time. Today, the concept has been transformed, to such an extent that it has become a haute cuisine dish that even stars in tasting menus.

Every May 28 is celebrated as National Burger Day; a recognition of one of the most famous and most eaten dishes on the planet. Initially, it was associated with what is commonly known as fast food. However, it has undergone a metamorphosis in recent times.

This is how the burger has evolved

The radical script twist did not happen overnight, but through an interest in knowing the origins and exploring new flavors with new culinary details. What was once basically a piece of generic ground beef between two pieces of industrial sliced bread and a slice of melted cheddar cheese is now almost a work of art.

That radical change in burger 'design' rests on three pillars:

  • The bun is no longer industrially molded. It has been replaced in many places by artisan butter brioche or sourdough buns.
  • The melted cheddar cheese has been replaced by blue cheese, parmesan... There are even daring people who put other cheeses like mozzarella, ricotta or edam on their burger.
  • Also aromas have appeared, achieved thanks to the use of truffle or reductions of Bourbon whiskey and other liquors.

The irruption of the 'smashburger'

Eating a smashburger is no longer a novelty. This concept, which burst onto the scene in the United States and other countries and is already a trend, consists of a ball of fresh beef mince and, in the first few seconds of touching the scorching hot griddle, it's smashed hard using an iron press.

This causes what is called a Maillard reaction at maximum levels, creating a caramelized, crispy, flavorful crust, while the juices are trapped inside.

Today's consumer is no longer just looking for cheap appetite satiation; they’re looking for an experience. In short, the burger has left behind being considered as just fast food to also being qualified as gourmet. Gastronomy with capital letters.

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