The 3rd Annual Blended Burger Project™ officially launched on Memorial Day with over 400 restaurants in 45 states.
The Blended Burger Project™ is a movement that strives to make burgers better by blending a ratio of at least 25% finely chopped or diced mushrooms with ground meat—the blend—creating an incredibly delicious patty that will meet the changing needs of your guests, who are seeking more nutritious and sustainable dishes. This has become an important initiative for operators who are trying to make a difference in the food we eat and the menus we create.
The blend is a new way to look at burgers without forfeiting flavor and creativity. In fact, the blend makes a burger stand out, and it’s versatile—anything you can do with a regular burger, you can do with the blend. It’s the perfect way to enhance an existing platform and to bring more sustainable practices to your menu.
The public is increasingly curious about where and how their food is produced and what impact it has on the environment. A new study suggests blending mushrooms with meat can reduce our impact. The lines between health and sustainability are beginning to blur—a healthy diet should include food choices that respect future accessibility to nutritious food and overall global health. As blend ambassadors, operators can lead the charge to educate the public on the importance of making sustainable and healthy food choices and guide guests to promote sustainability using their own forks.
“By participating in the Blended Burger Project™ we have taken the first step to reducing our meat consumption and hopefully paved the way for future chefs to innovate on what we are pro-ducing,” said Clark Barlowe, Heirloom Restaurant, Charlotte, N.C..
Registered chefs to date have come from across the spectrum of foodservice establishments, such as steakhouses including Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse; three-year veteran Found Kitchen and Social House, Evanston, Ill.; and several InterContinental Hotels; as well as Top Chefs; Iron Chefs; 2015 and 2016 winners; colleges and universities; and even Neiman Marcus Restaurants.
It’s not too late to register! Our goal is to see all 50 states participating in this nationwide move-ment; we are calling on chefs from Idaho, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota and Alaska to menu their version of a blended burger.
Visit jamesbeard.org/blendedburgerproject to register today and to read the contest’s official rules, including eligibility requirements, voting and judging criteria.
This post is sponsored by The James Beard Foundation