Do you want pineapple and beetroot in there? This is a question I was asked at a relatively convivial barbeque recently. It was, of course, a culinary question.
But it was, for my money, simply out of context. The earnest enquirer was asking whether I would like to add two ingredients that are more traditionally discernible in exotic salads, to my burger. Needless to say, my answer was ‘no, thank you.’
How has it become so commonplace for a burger to look more like a rejected latecomer to a fancy dress party than the steadfastly macho-patty-and-bun menu item that has endured for eons?
For some, the burger is a holy grail; symbolic of all that is great about food: liberal, fulfilling and uncomplicated. There was a utopian time when this was the case. It was a time when we would devour our food in a fashion reminiscent of our Neanderthal ancestors, unfazed by words such as glutton, simpleton and culinary retrograde.
But health concerns vouchsafed by innumerable nutritionist quacks have filled our egos with the notion that burgers are alright as long as they include a helping of avocado, beetroot, strawberry, romaine lettuce and any other salubrious food item that would ideally be bullied and outcast in the schoolyard of hard steaks.
Then there’s the other side of the coin. Burgers have become ostentatiously unhealthy. Instead of the conventional receipt, some burgers now come with a one-way ticket to the cardiac unit of your local hospital and a humongous medical bill if your country of residence doesn’t have public health care.
Regardless of the shape, size or gender of the burger, the UAE, as the UAE does, likes to have them all. While McDonalds has maintained an unwavering link to their historic bestsellers, you often need a burger-ictionary when ordering from any of the litany of chains cooking your burger today, lest you appear lost and awestruck as a Greek politician in a cave of gold.
The UAE is simply a hotbed for the modern cosmopolitan burger and its popularity across the emirates is mesmerising. Above all else, it’s the variety of choice that has catapulted the burger to the forefront of fast food and gourmet diners’ minds.
The first Emirates-born burger franchise is testament to this. Abu Dhabi-based Burger Bureau that markets its unique brand through a neo-secret agency theme, have sworn to “serve and protect all burger lovers of the world.” They sound like my kind of people. But wait, there’s a 007 burger. It was going so well.
But besides the 20 different burgers on offer and James Bond clichés, Burger Bureau is an interesting start-up precisely because it’s tapping the UAE’s insatiable appetite. The Bureau aims to open chains in Dubai and various Adnoc gas stations by the end of the year.
“What’s truly enticing is that diners can build their burger on the spot with their favourite ingredients,” said Scott Sorensen and Trevor Woodward, who refer to themselves as Special Agents of the Bureau, in a joint statement released in June. The UAE market, it seems, craves the ability and freedom to design individual burgers.
New Zealand’s Burger Fuel, Sweden’s MAX Burger and America’s Hollywood Burger are three international chains serving in the UAE, claiming unique twists, catering to consumer preference — from a bunless burger wrapped in lettuce to chunks of brie and avocado oozing out from the side of a whole-wheat bun — and consequently, taking foodies here by storm. There’s Switch’s local flavour — the camel burger — while Australian franchise More Café allows customers to construct burgers from scratch.
“In terms of the wide variety of toppings, people love to customise what they eat. So, in a way, the burgers they eat are their own special burgers,” says Khaled Ahmed Al Dhubaib, CEO of Tabco Emirates LLC, the UAE franchisee of the American burger chain Elevation Burger, in the UAE.
In an age where smart devices are as unique to users as the amount of hair follicles on their scalps, the customisation of food is certainly an interesting marketing strategy for big chain producers.
Given the UAE’s diverse populace, burgers are bound to be shape-shifters to suit the wants of the consumer. McDonalds’ international menu was a perfect fit and another example of the ever-diversifying meaty treat.
“Tastes of the World is part of McDonald’s continued efforts to respond to customer demand for regional flavours,” says Rafic Fakih, Managing Director and Partner of McDonalds UAE. He adds: “Customers have responded well to the Asian and the Turkish varieties and we expect this to continue when we announce further flavours soon.” The golden arches also launched the McArabia, which has been a huge hit with Emirati customers.
This goes a long way to explain the myriad accoutrements that have wriggled their way between the bun and burger in recent times. So much for the utopian burger-eating days of yesteryear.
But modern burger mavericks are not guilty of any crime. They are simply responding to a better-educated and value-conscious consumer demand. “The modern burger has evolved from what it used to be because people today are more aware of nutritional facts and the way their food is prepared. This has caused a shift in the burger market to provide a solution for customers who are seeking better quality yet affordable burgers,” says Fakih.
Swamped with choice, it seems hope for the traditional burger is quickly evaporating. Ten years from now we could be eating parrot burger with stinging nettle leaves and marmite piccalilli fillings. I’m sure something similar already exists. But in the meantime, we diehard traditional burger lovers will have to accept that the domain is no longer just ours.
