Burger Bars Of High End Chefs

Though high-end burgers have been making their way onto fine dining menus for years, this most recent iteration of the trend has upped the ante with some of the nation's most esteemed chefs opening casual eateries dedicated to elevating the classic burger.

With the opening of Shake Shack, famed restaurateur, Danny Meyer was one of the first to combine a menu of restaurant quality items with the sensibility of a fast food chain. For some of the celebrity chefs that have jumped on the burger bar bandwagon, the concept suits them similarly well. Take meat lovers Bobby Flay, Tim Love, and Michael Symon for instance.

The trend is also hot for accomplished chefs that are opening their first solo restaurants, such as Sang Yoon of Father's Office and Ed Lakin of Edzo's Burger Shop. And for some chefs, opening a burger bar seems like quite a departure from the restaurants that have made them famous, namely, Laurent Tourondel and Hubert Keller.

The trend seems far from over, as rumors continue to circulate about which star chefs will be the next to join the burger bar club. Thomas Keller has been toying with the idea of opening Burgers and Half-Bottles since late 2007. Todd English has plans to open his Boston burger spot sometime soon (though details are scarce). And recently Seamus Mullen, who left his restaurant Boqueria earlier this year, announced his plans to open a burger bar, though the concept is in its very early stages.

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