Massimo Bottura creates burger for Shake Shack
American burger group Shake Shack has teamed up with Michelin-starred Italian chef Massimo Bottura to create a new limited edition burger creation.
Named after Bottura's home region of Emilia-Romagna, the Emilia burger marks a collaboration between the chef and Shake Shack's culinary director Mark Rosati. It features Aberdeen Angus beef ground with cotechino sausage and parmesan cheese, with salsa verde and balsamic mayonnaise.
The mayonnaise is made with chef Bottura's Villa Manodori Artigianale balsamic vinegar, made from Trebbiano grapes grown in Italy.
Only 500 of the burgers will be served, on a first-come, first-served basis, in celebration of the chef's first English-language cookbook, Never Trust A Skinny Italian Chef. Bottura is set to appear at the UK flagship Shake Shack site in London's Covent Garden on Sunday 9 November, to hand out burgers, greet fans, and sign copies of the book.
Rosati said: "I have always admired Massimo'simaginative and whimsical approach to Italian cuisine. We couldn't be more excited to be partnering with one of Italy's most charismatic and imaginative chefs."
Bottura is best known for his three-Michelin starred restaurant, Osteria Francescana, in Italy, and recently opened Ristorante Italia, in Istanbul in Turkey.
He is also set to take over Helene Darroze's kitchens at luxury London hotel the Connaught on 10 November, in a one-off tasting menu featuring some of his signature dishes, including "The crunchy part of the Lasagna", "Beautiful psychedelic spin-painted veal, not flame grilled" and "Oops, I dropped the lemon tart".
Originally founded in the US and owned by Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG), Shake Shack opened its UK site in June 2013. It serves a simple menu of burgers, hot dogs and fries, and has become known for its many-flavoured frozen custard "concrete" shakes.
Massimo Bottura to open Istanbul outpost >>
Michelin-starred Italian chef Massimo Bottura to cook at London's Connaught hotel >>
