The Blended Burger Project™ is a movement to make burgers better by blending ground meat with chopped mushrooms creating an incredibly delicious burger that’s healthier for your guests and more sustainable for the planet.
Chefs in every segment have the opportunity to make a significant and sustainable difference by reimagining their burger and making the world a healthier and more sustainable place. James Beard Foundation is asking chefs to create their own take on a “better burger” by blending in at least 25 percent fresh and chopped cultivated mushrooms into a burger patty. Then, operators can menu the burger throughout the promotion period, which is Memorial Day through July 31, 2016, send a photo of your burger to the James Beard Foundation and promote your burger to guests via social media. The five chefs with the most online votes will win a trip to cook at the historic James Beard House this fall.
Many have perceived this groundbreaking development as an opportunity to change the way Americans eat. This year marks the second annual Blended Burger Project™, in which chefs across the nation, including those who already menu some of the best burgers around, have the opportunity to work together with the James Beard Foundation and show guests how great taste, better nutrition and increased sustainability can come together to improve the quality of the food they eat.
As Hugh Acheson, James Beard Foundation award-winning chef, author and Top Chef judge has said, “As a proponent of sustainable, healthy foods, I’m thrilled to join the Blended Burger Project. The meaty, umami qualities of mushrooms make them the perfect ingredient to boost a burger’s flavor—and their nutritional and environmental qualities make a great burger even better.”
Last year, more than 250 chefs—including Top Chefs and Iron Chefs as well as those from food trucks, hotels, colleges and universities, neighborhood restaurants, high-end restaurants, burger-focused restaurants, steak houses and corporate dining—joined the Project and participated in the James Beard Foundation promotion. This year, that number should double.
Some of the nation’s top chefs and restaurateurs have already pledged their participation, including:
- Hugh Acheson (5&10, The National, The Florence and Empire State South, all in Georgia)
- Jenn Louis (Lincoln and Sunshine Tavern, Portland, OR)
- Jehangir Mehta (Graffiti, Me and You and Mehtaphor, New York, NY)
- Mike Rakun (Marin, Minneapolis, MN)
- Maria Hines (Tilth, Seattle, WA)
- Alex Seidel (Fruition, Denver, CO)
- Tim Byres (SMOKE, Dallas, TX)
- Bernie Kantak (The Gladly, Phoenix, AZ)
- Mike Jenkins (Garces Trading Company, Philadelphia, PA)
“The Blended Burger Project initiative helps bring to life JBF’s now six-years-long Impact Programs initiative that focuses on fostering more health and sustainability in our food system,” said Kris Moon, senior director of strategy and development for JBF. “We’re pleased to partner with the Mushroom Council once again to educate chefs and diners about the virtues of The Blend.”
To find out more information and to join the Project, visit www.jamesbeard.org/blendedburgerproject
This post is sponsored by Blended Burger Project™