Burger King is rethinking and revising its menu. Branded Cinnabon cinnamon rolls are now available in some markets (at $1.99 apiece or two for $3.29, three for $5.99); it has introduced the $5 Chef’s Choice and $1.99 BK Toppers burgers; and it has recently upgraded its fries and bacon. The bacon-and-oyster Hangtown Fry isn’t on the menu, but John Koch, Executive Chef and Director of Product Innovation for Culinary Research & Development, says he’d love to give it a shot. Koch (pronounced “cookâ€) talked to BurgerBusiness.com about the process of creating new menu items.
BurgerBusiness.com: Talk a little about the development of the Chef’s Choice burger you brought out in October. It seems like an important shift toward a more “artisan†culinary style for Burger King.
Chef John Koch: Well, we set out by asking, “How can we make the most premium burger in the category? What would it look like to have a bacon-topped cheeseburger where every element is as good as we can make it?†So we put together a 100% ground chuck patty that’s seasoned, of course, with thick-cut hardwood-smoked bacon and thick cut cheese, romaine lettuce, red onion and a sauce we designed just for that sandwich. Full interview.