Anthony Bourdain Famously Hated This Type Of Burger Bun

When it comes to hamburgers in America, there are hundreds of variations and recipes that include different proteins and toppings. Another, slightly overlooked, source of variety is the burger bun itself (which Guy Fieri encourages people to toast). Perhaps unsurprisingly, Anthony Bourdain had strong opinions when it came to burger buns. In a clip from an episode of "Parts Unknown" that was shared to Facebook, Bourdain said, "A brioche bun is a disgrace, this is an abomination."

The globe-trotting, television host and former chef also explained that the brioche bun doesn't do what burger buns are supposed to do: absorb grease. He felt so passionately about this bun choice that it made it on to his "Crimes Against Food" list. In this list, which was shared by Mediaite, Bourdain wrote: "A proper hamburger bun should retain its structural integrity, playing its role as delivery vehicle for the meat patty until the last bite. The brioche bun, woefully unsuitable for this role, crumbles. God is against the brioche bun."

When it came to building a great burger, Anthony Bourdain took a pretty unpretentious approach. In an interview with Tech Insider that was shared to YouTube, Bourdain said that the perfect burger contained "a soft, squishy potato bun, a hunk of well-ground, good quality beef, and, more often than not, processed meltable cheese." (Bourdain definitely did not endorse Kobe sliders.)

Potato buns are made with a mixture of both wheat flour and potato flour (or mashed potatoes), resulting in buns that are sturdy, soft, and generally pretty neutral in flavor. Aside from providing structural integrity and the ability to absorb grease (which Bourdain prized so highly), potato buns also allow the meat and toppings themselves to be the star of the burger. Contrarily, brioche buns are made from an enriched dough, which contains plenty of eggs and butter. They have a noticeably sweet, buttery flavor and lack the sturdiness of potato buns.

Potato buns and rolls aren't difficult to find. In fact, there are many products in any given grocery store. Martin's range of potato buns are arguably among the most famous and recognized of these products and even garnered Bourdain's seal of approval; Shake Shack uses Martin's potato buns exclusively, and Bourdain noted his appreciation for this chain's burgers on more than one occasion. Of course, most of his fans know that Bourdain famously loved burgers from In-N-Out, but the popular fast-food chain actually doesn't actually use potato buns. Instead, this chain's buns are made in-house from a sponge dough. Importantly, the chain doesn't use a brioche dough, and that is likely what mattered most to Bourdain.