When I was invited behind-the-scenes at Burger King I was super excited. Not only would I be trying the new and improved Whopper, but I could see the kitchen where the magic happens. And while I was there I found out two things that really surprised me.
Initially I was slightly nervous that the Whopper, which has been a staple at Burger King since it was first released in 1957, was going to be changed beyond recognition. But I was happy to find out that there will just be a few subtle tweaks which will enhance the experience. They are making the patties juicier, and the buns fluffier.
I was invited to Burger King’s Leicester Square location in London, for a behind-the-scenes look at what the ‘new’ burger would look – and more importantly, taste like. I also spoke to Christian Binney, Burger King’s Director of Food Development, who first took me through what the changes actually are.
The three main changes are upping the temperature of the product, change to how the patty is formed to make it more juicy, and changes to taste and appearance of the bun. And I was really impressed by how great it both looked and tasted.
But after venturing into the kitchen of the West End location, where I learned how to assemble the Whopper, I also learned two things most people don’t know – and it really surprised me.
Secret to the flame-grilled flavour
Firstly, I’ve always assumed that the flame-grilled flavour came from an added ingredient – whether it be seasoning or a glaze to the patty itself. But although a lot of people think this, Christian assured me that it was all to do with how the meat is cooked.
He explained: “Flame-grilled isn’t actually a flavour – it’s a process. It’s the way we cook the beef. We’re relying on the product in the broiler to ignite. It’s real flames that lick the patty. There’s no seasoning involved, it’s just beef and flames. You get amazing-tasting products at the end of it.”
Looking inside the grill itself while the patty was cooking, I was amazed to see the intense flames surround the patty. It looked quite dramatic, like it would be burned to a crisp, but that’s what’s needed to create the flavour they are known for.
And when they come out, you can see how juicy they are. They have colour and caramelisation, but they aren’t dry at all.
Fresh ingredients at room temperature
I also assumed that in order to keep the fresh ingredients, such as the lettuce, tomatoes and onions, crispy, they would need to be kept refrigerated until assembled. But that’s not actually the case at Burger King.
Christian explained: “We don’t add anything cold to the burger. All of our fresh ingredients are allowed to come up to room temperature. It enhances the quality of the experience when you bite into it.”
This ensures the temperature of the burger itself doesn’t drop too much.” But come to think of it, I’ve always felt the fresh ingredients on the Whopper taste fresh, and don’t feel soggy, or like they’ve been sitting out for too long.
Christian explained: “We freshly slice all of our onions and tomatoes every day. It’s all fresh ingredients for the Whopper. Each Whopper is also made-to-order. So it’s not sitting around, losing temperature.”
And of course, there’s a limit to how long fresh ingredients are allowed to sit at room temperature.