There’s nothing more all-American than a burger. In this series, we ask chefs to divulge the mouthwatering details behind their favorite restaurant burgers. Today, we chat with Chef Gregory León of Amilinda. León will be among nine featured chefs at the fifth annual Moveable Feast event at the Milwaukee Public Museum.
When Chef Gregory León talks about burgers, he puts an emphasis on balance.
"For me the ultimate burger is not about the costliness of the ingredients, but about their quality and their ratio in relation to one other," he says. "It should have a good sturdy bun; not hard, but something that is going to hold everything in place and be easy to bite into. It should also include a nice portion of meat, simply seasoned with salt and pepper; you want to be able to taste the meat."
As for toppings, he prefers to skip the tomato, which can make the bun soggy. Instead, his ideal burger capitalizes on flavor with a combination of condiments and vegetables.
"An equal amount of ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise … lettuce, pickles and onion … all topped with a slice of melted American cheese and preferably grilled by my grandfather in his backyard grill."
Favorite burger: The Tuesday night burger at Goodkind
"By far my favorite burger in Milwaukee is any burger that comes out of the Goodkind kitchen on a Tuesday," León says. "I’m always looking forward to [Chef] Paul Zerkel’s weekly creations. The meat is cooked perfectly. The bread holds everything in place and the different combinations of textures and flavors never disappoint."
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with each and every dish. She’s had the privilege of chronicling these tales via numerous media, including OnMilwaukee and in her book “Milwaukee Food.” Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or recording the FoodCrush podcast, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
