During a hamburger fiesta at The Imperial, chef Willi Haueteur told the essentials of good patty that can be stuffed with almost anything you like
Though it’s just a bread stuffed with anything that you can imagine, smothered with cheese, but even the thought of that dripping mozzarella and veggies or meat coated in sauces, layered in the burger can make you feel better. Hamburger or stuffed patty is said was first created in America in 1900 but there’s nothing about its origin that’s more interesting than the fact that each country today has its own version of burger. “But not very burger is the good burger. It has to be juicy and fresh,” said Chef Willi Haueteur, executive chef of The Imperial, who conceptualised the burger promotion at 1911. Chef Willi is like a reservoir of information on food, any kind and from any region. He said that the reason for the hamburger festival was it’s popularity and that it will introduce people to more varieties.
“Ideally it is believed that the burger should have 22 per cent fat. But now it is very much possible to have a healthy burger. People in Western countries have now started going for vegetarian burgers,” shared chef and informed that he has created a vegetarian burger with the stuffing that tastes like beef. “It is made of wheat and is 6000 year old. It came from China and is used very much there. It can be prepared and frozen. It tastes exactly like meat but is 100 per cent vegetarian,” said chef Willi and what about the recipeIJ “Well, it’s a secret,” he said.
Patty Melt (famous New York burger, served on rye/caraway bread and topped with grilled onions and cheddar cheese); Torpedo burger (a breaded fish and crab cake, crunchy fried and served with dijon mustard, grilled smoked ham and tomatoes) and some vegetarian specialities were on the chef’s list. But he pointed again that it is very important the bread used should be fresh and be it the vegetarian or the non-vegetarian burger the juiciness should remain.
The burgers come with interesting condiments. French fries, tomato and mustard sauce are the common things that we all know, but chef said that pickle is also on a must-have list. “Bacon, lettuce, pickle are known to be the traditional accompaniment to the burger,” said chef Willi and served us the veg patty which was huge and a portion big enough for one person. “Don’t widen your eyes, the burger is supposed to be a wholesome meal in itself and it has to be big,” commented Willi. The stuffing with the crisp covering and juicy ingredients was the best thing one could ever have. To add more things Indian to the burger, a small bowl of spiced potatoes that tasted like a boiled potato chaat was served along with it. “This is to give guests something different. But no compromises were made to the burgers. They are just as they should be to let the people differentiate between a good and the bad burger and know what a good patty should taste like,” said the chef.