Chef David Chang Thinks You’re Overthinking Your Burger-Making

Summer’s almost over and you probably looked through countless YouTube videos, trying to figure out how to make the perfect burger. Yet with all the research and studying, you’re trying way too hard in chef David Chang’s eyes.

If you don’t know Chang from his popular Momofuku restaurants, you’ve probably seen him on the PBS show, The Mind of a Chef, where he hosted the very first season back in 2012.

We got a chance to dig into the mind of this esteemed chef a bit, and the former James Beard winner for Outstanding Chef gave us his insight on the art of burger-making during Budweiser’s 2016 Bud & Burgers Competition in Philadelphia.

The decorated chef said the secret is to, “Keep it simple.” Chang said if you have quality beef, the burger is going to be good. He added that a common mistake is overthinking the whole process.

If Chang’s making burgers, he said all he needs are the beef patty, cheese, bread, and pickles.

That type of straightforward approach seems to be a common belief among chefs, as Vice chef Matty Matheson once shared his advice on the perfect cheeseburger, saying, “All the best things in the world are simple.”

The same goes for Michelin-starred chef April Bloomfield, whose idea of a perfect burger is good beef, cheese, onions, and the bun.

While it’s not unusual to see burger creators nowadays load up their burgers with cheese, or cover them in Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, these guys just might be doing the most.

Ironically, while Chang said the best burgers aren’t complicated, he voted for a burger stuffed with pineapple, jalapenos, barbecue sauce, and thick cut bacon while judging Budweiser’s search for the best burger in America.

Go figure.

photos via Getty Images