Flavorful Tales From Our Kitchen: Why We Toast Every Bun

Ask any of our cooks where a burger goes wrong and most of them will point at the bun before the beef. A cold, soft bun soaks up juice and falls apart halfway through. A toasted one holds together to the last bite.

Slice it level

Every bun is sliced by hand on a board, a little above the middle, so the crown is slightly thicker than the heel. The heel sits under the patty and takes the juice; the crown only has to hold the toppings.

Butter the cut side

A thin layer of soft butter goes on both cut faces. It browns faster than a dry bun and gives a seal that keeps the sauce on the surface instead of soaking in.

Toast it face down

The buns go cut side down on the flat-top for about a minute, until they are golden at the edges. We toast to order, so a bun never sits waiting under a heat lamp.

Try it at home with a heavy pan over medium heat. It takes a minute, and it is the cheapest upgrade a burger can get.