In the series premiere of The Burger Show, host Alvin Cailan teams up with food-TV legend Adam Richman (Man v. Food, Secret Eats) to discuss a hot-button issue in the burger world: the rise of gourmet, expensive burgers. With bespoke beef blends and luxury toppings like truffles driving prices through the roof, are the upgrades really worth it? Find out as the duo tries premium patties ranging from $23 to $295.
In the second episode of The Burger Show, host Alvin Cailan teams up with burger scholar George Motz to learn about the diversity of burgers across the U.S. Just like barbecue, the burger has absorbed local traditions—in places like Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Connecticut—that reflect a unique sense of regional pride. From the glory of deep-fried patties, to the mechanical wizardry of steamed cheeseburgs, Alvin receives a master class in regional burger styles.
In the world of burgers, the In-N-Out vs. Shake Shack rivalry is the stuff of legend, pitting east coast against west coast in a battle of patty supremacy. But rather than feed the fire of an old flame, Alvin Cailan is teaming up with YouTube legend Andrew Rea (Binging With Babish) to teach people how to make both of these iconic burgers at home. Better yet, they've devised the ultimate peace treaty: a Double Shack x Double-Double Animal-style Voltron burger. It's a moment in burger history you won't want to miss.
When it comes to food on the Internet, the bigger and bolder—and more rainbow colors—the better. It's a formula that's spawned a wave of "Stunt Food"—food whose sole purpose is to rack up likes on your Instagram feed. Chefs may not crave this kind of food, but it's no secret that they're also natural competitors. When they see something on their social feed, their first instinct is to say "I can do it better." So in the spirit of duking it out in the kitchen, Alvin goes head-to-head with Top Chef alum Ilan Hall to see who has the chops to make the craziest, most gonzo Stunt Burger. And they've got an all-star panel of judges—Sean Evans, Matty Matheson, Miss Info—to see if they've gone too far.
In Northern New Jersey, sliders reign supreme. The tiny, 1oz patties smashed thin on a griddle, smothered with onions, and placed between steamed buns are a regional speciality that have been perfected at the Jersey City landmark, White Mana. The history alone is worth the trip, which is why host Alvin Cailan invited Top Chef judge/host and fellow burger burger fanatic, Padma Lakshmi, to soak up some Jersey lore. Get to know the diner's ties to 1939 World's Fair, as well as its surprising connection to heavyweight champ Mike Tyson, from longtime owner Mario Costa. This is a piece of burger mythology you don't want to miss.
Millions of us have fallen in love with Bob's Burgers, the heartwarming cartoon series that chronicles the life of Bob Belcher and his family-run burger joint. For chefs like Alvin Cailan, many parts of Bob's life resonate with his own experience running a kitchen. Which is why Alvin was so excited to meet the man who voices Bob—H. Jon Benjamin—and cook burgers from the show IRL for the season finale of The Burger Show.
It’s no secret that Los Angeles has minted stars in the burger world. But for many natives, it’s the homegrown, backyard burger traditions that keep the burger scene here alive and well. Just ask Alvin, whose childhood growing up in East L.A. is filled with memories of grilling burgers on Sundays and watching the area’s famous lowrider clubs cruise the boulevard. Today, he’s linking up with Together Car Club to talk shop about the communal power of backyard burgers and why lowriders and grilling go hand-in-hand.
Burgers are universally beloved because they're the food of the people. But few can deny the appeal of secret, off-menu burgers—a concept that was popularized by the GOAT fast-food chain, In-N-Out. With the obsessive demand for Animal-style burgers, other fast-food chains like Shake Shack and Five Guys have taken note, creating more competition in the field. So which fast-food, off-menu burger reigns supreme? Alvin is linking up with his friend and burger lover, Seth Rogen, to crown a winner.
Is the patty melt a burger or a sandwich? It’s a debate that holds a different meaning in SoCal, where the patty melt was born. To pay tribute to this underrated burger, Alvin is linking up with patty melt legend, chef Christian Page, to scout the best of what L.A. has to offer. From eating the historical patty melt at the famous diner, Du-pars, to sampling the new-school version at Cassell's—which chef David Chang crowned as "best in class"—get ready for Alvin's quest to find the ultimate patty melt.
When the sun sets in Los Angeles and the crowd spills out of Dodger Stadium, that’s when the true spirit of Tommy’s Original World Famous Hamburgers comes to life. While the world sings the praises of In-N-Out, real Angelenos know that this late-night burger temple is the secret handshake, known for its legendary chili burgers and party vibe. On today’s episode, two of L.A.’s greatest ambassadors—Kogi founder Roy Choi and KCRW radio personality Evan Kleiman—meet up with Alvin to talk shop about what makes Tommy’s the ultimate late-night burger spot.
If you want to understand the soul of L.A.’s burger culture, you have to head to the Apple Pan. The 70-year-old West Side burger counter embodies the burger in its purest form—served at a counter and wrapped in paper by life-long staffers. Few people can talk about what makes this place special more than burger scholar George Motz. In today’s episode, Alvin and the roving Burger Lord are going to dig into why the Apple Pan deserves to be called one of the best burgers in America.
To be a real burger pro, you have to understand different ways to dial up flavor. Attaining Burger Lord status involves more than just a fancy cast iron or spatula. It involves science. That’s why Alvin is teaming up with food scientist and Museum of Food and Drink founder, Dave Arnold. Dave’s going to to pull back the curtain on essential scientific concepts—things like umami and the maillard reaction—that will help you make the perfect burger.
In the Season 3 premiere of The Burger Show, pro-Skater Tony Hawk teams up with Alvin to taste-test iconic burgers, including the Ramen Burger and Impossible Burger. From his ubiquitous video game series to his record-breaking feats at The X-games, Tony's influence is writ large on skate culture. So we thought it was only fitting to have one legend in the skate world judge another set of legends in the burger world. And for good measure, Tony busted out some tricks on the vert ramp with—you guessed it—a burger in hand.
Binging with Babish and Alvin Cailan receive a master class in classic regional burger styles from Burger Scholar, George Motz. The last time Binging With Babish appeared on The Burger Show, he and Alvin combined the best of Shake Shack and In-N-Out into a never-before-seen hybrid burger. Today, Motz teaches them how to make the Jucy Lucy, the Cuban Frita, and the Lacey-Edge.
"Burger Jedi" J. Kenji López-Alt is on a mission to debunk the most prevailing burger myths around. The award-winning author (Food Lab) and Internet Food Legend (Serious Eats) has conducted hundreds of scientific experiments on his influential blog, The Burger Lab. Today we'll learn some eye-opening techniques that will lead to a better, more delicious burger. When should you salt your patty? Do smash burgers actually produce the best crust? Find out in episode 3.
In episode 4, MythBusters Tory Belleci and Alvin Cailan are testing a burger robot. When Alvin first heard that Silicon Valley had built the world’s first fully automated burger robot, he knew he had to fly to San Francisco to see it with his very own eyes. Not only to taste the burger, but to race it head-to-head in a burger battle, man vs. machine. And he’s bringing along Tory Belleci to judge whether his years of cooking on the line will pay off.
Burger Scholar George Motz and Alvin Cailan are going on the ultimate regional burger road trip—which includes a pit stop to eat America's original hamburger. Motz is a veteran road warrior: he’s logged thousands of miles in his car chasing down burgers all over the country. For this episode, Alvin will be Motz’s co-pilot as he takes The Burger Show host to Central Connecticut, home to some of the most unusual burgers on the planet—as well as THE birthplace of the original hamburger, Louis' Lunch.
YouTube legend Casey Neistat taste-tests limited-edition burgers from the Shake Shack Innovation Kitchen. For Casey Neistat, there are two competing obsessions in his life: YouTube videos and Shake Shack. So for our season finale, we knew we had to roll out the Burger Show red carpet. Which is why we brought him to the ultimate bucket-list burger experience: to taste-test limited-edition burgers from the Shake Shack archives, and crown a winner.
Strictly Dumpling's Mike Chen taste-tests international burger styles on this epic burger crawl. The globe trotting YouTuber Mike Chen has traveled everywhere seeking out the best and most unusual eats — including burgers. Which makes him the perfect companion to join Alvin on an international burger tour in NYC, no passports needed. Watch as Mike and Alvin eat Japanese caviar truffle burgers and learn how an American icon is being reinvented by chefs from different cultural backgrounds.
Modern Family's Ty Burrell taste-tests classic regional burger styles, cooked by Burger Scholar George Motz. Professor Motz gives us another master class in how to make regional burgers from around the country that every burger fan should know about, including the slugburger from Mississippi, the loco moco from Hawaii, and the Pastrami burger from Utah.
Binging With Babish, YouTube's favorite cooking instructor, tries to survive a shift working in a professional kitchen. Burger Show host Alvin Cailan will put Babish through two different challenges. First, the Prep Station, where he'll prepare the mise en place. Second, the Burger Station, where the stakes get even higher. Can the Internet cooking star handle the heat?
The actress and star of Netflix's rom-com To All The Boys I've Loved Before will judge best-in-class veggie burgers from Shake Shack and Superiority Burger, and see if Alvin's own recipe can stand up to the test.
Hot Ones host Sean Evans eats the best burgers in his hometown, Chicago. From unique regional specialties, to high-end classics, Chicago has built a reputation for being a major burger destination of the Midwest. So who better to combine forces than with the city's hometown hero, the Spice Lord himself, Sean Evans.
Adam Richman eats the two best and most iconic burgers in NYC—J.G. Melon and Peter Luger. There are great burgers everywhere in New York, but only a few special ones deserve the title “classic.” Alvin is on a mission to track down two of the most legendary burger icons that have stood the test of time—one from an old-school tavern, the other from a storied steakhouse. And he's hitting up OG New Yorker Adam Richman to show him the ropes.
An all-star burger panel featuring Seth Rogen, Adam Richman, and Tiffani Thiessen rate the best burgers in Los Angeles. Who deserves the crown: a smashburger from Tripp Burgers, a genre-bending bistek burger from LASA, or a classic single burger from Everson Royce Bar?
Brad Leone learns how to cook classic regional burger styles. Burger Scholar George Motz teaches the host of It's Alive! about the Jersey Burger, the San Antonio Beanburger, and the Nebraskan icon, the bierock.
Comedian Nick Kroll taste-tests the ultimate custom burger menu inspired by his career, featuring a "Big Mouth" burger, a Jewish Deli burger, and the ultimate Foodie Fantasy burger.
Binging With Babish and Matty Matheson pay tribute to the iconic Krabby Patty in this epic burger battle. For today's cooking competition, Matty will square off against Alvin Cailan. So who deserves to take home the Golden Spatula? We leave it in the hands of one person who knows best: pop-culture food legend, Binging With Babish. Game on!
Marshawn Lynch taste-tests a $777 and $1200 burger in Las Vegas, and creates his own custom Beast Mode burger. In Vegas, everything is pushed to the extreme—and super-luxe, gourmet burgers are no exception. But are the hefty price tags worth the hype? To get some answers, Alvin is linking up with someone who’s familiar with the Big Baller lifestyle—Vegas veteran and former pro-bowl running back, Marshawn Lynch.
Burger Scholar George Motz and Alvin Cailan go on an epic road trip to find the best burgers in Texas. Their first pit stop brings them to a 100-year-old burger joint called Herd's, two hours north of Dallas, where owner Danny Herd makes a hyper-regional burger unlike anything you've ever seen.
For Part 2, Burger Scholar George Motz and Alvin Cailan continue their search for the best burgers in Texas. They first head to Knife Dallas to try one of the most famous steakhouse burgers in America, and cap off their road trip at Keller's, a classic drive-in burger joint.
Ethan and Hila Klein (H3H3 Productions) lose their minds while eating the world's spiciest burger. For the season 6 premiere of The Burger Show, host Alvin Cailan teamed up with Nashville hot-chicken guru Johnny Ray Zone of Howlin' Ray's to cook a 2 million scoville unit burger infused with a lethal blend of Trinidad Scorpion peppers, Ghost peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns. They call it: the Burner Burger. Are Ethan and Hila up for the challenge? Can they withstand the pain? Find out on today's episode!
Binging with Babish recreates one of the most iconic and endlessly memed burgers in cartoon history: Steamed Hams from The Simpsons. Drawing inspiration from the regional steamed cheeseburger in Connecticut, Babish steams his first burger, while host Alvin Cailan flips the script and invents a steamed patty melt. Did we take this joke too far? Probably! Internet, this one's for you.
Comedian Gabriel Iglesias, a.k.a. "Fluffy," learns how to cook must-try burger styles that every burger lover should know about—including a quintessential smashburger and hybrid quesadilla burger. Under the tutelage of Alvin Cailan, Fluffy is training to become the ultimate burger warrior.
On The Burger Show, smashburgers are gospel. And over the last few years, this iconic style has exploded in popularity all over the world. For today's challenge, three burger experts are going to teach you three different ways to make a smashburger. Burger Scholar George Motz will be giving a history lesson on the original smashburger. Burger Show host Alvin Cailan is flexing his creativity by making a hybrid Jucy-Lucy smashburger. And cookbook author J. Kenji López-Alt will bridge the crispiness of a smashburger with the juiciness of a thick patty in his burger science experiment. Get ready for your ultimate smashburger master class.
At its core, a burger is simple: meat, cheese, bun. But when immigrant and first-generation chefs reimagine the burger, it's a whole different story. In today's episode, YouTuber Casey Neistat taste-tests 3 mind-blowing international burgers that reflect the diversity of L.A.'s robust burger scene: a Japanese deep-fried burger from Katsu Sando, an Indian spiced lamb burger (and cheeseburger samosas!) from Badmaash, and a super-spicy Thai burger from the legendary Jitlada. You don't wanna miss this.
It's the Burger Show season finale! And it wouldn't be a party without chef Joshua Weissman, whose viral TikToks and cooking series "But Better" have turned him into an Internet sensation. Today, Josh and Alvin are going to settle the debate once and for all—what makes the perfect burger combo meal? Beyond the bun and patty. What's your fry of choice? Waffle? Curly? Tots? And what drink are you washing it down with? Tune in to see what's cookin'!
The In-N-Out Double Double, Animal Style. The McDonald's Big Mac. The White Castle slider. What do they have in common? They're all fast-food burger icons! In the season 7 premiere of The Burger Show, we're asking 3 burger experts—George Motz, Kenji López-Alt, and Alvin Cailan—to show you how to hack these titans of the burger industry at home. They've got some tricks up their sleeves, and some history to uncover. So let's get to it!
Joshua Weissman teams up with Alvin Cailan to make Cody Ko a crazy, one-of-a-kind, fine-dining burger. Using foams, gels, and other molecular gastronomy techniques, this is a burger unlike anything you've ever seen. Will Cody Ko give it the thumbs up or thumbs down? Find out!
Did you know that rapper Rich Brian is a bonafide steak connoisseur? That's why Alvin is taking Brian on a burger vision quest and teaching him how to make a $400, dry-aged steakhouse burger—complete with caviar and truffle. Yup, straight up baller vibes. And to show off his own cooking skills, Rich Brian will give a master class on how to make the perfect steak at home. Meat eaters, rejoice!
Get ready for a tour of L.A.'s best backyard, underground burger operations! In today's episode, Alvin will be hitting two special backyard pop-ups—Yellow Paper Burger in Monterey Park to try their classic double cheeseburger, and Hangaburs in El Sereno to try their epic Nayarit-style smashburger. As we all know, the past year and a half was gut-wrenching for restaurants. But in the wake of the pandemic's destruction, a beautiful thing happened in the food world. A vibrant pop-up movement took root in Los Angeles, made up of scrappy DIY food operations—many of them burger stands. It’s no exaggeration to say that we're in the midst of a Burger Revolution, thanks to an explosion of guerrilla-style hamburger stands. This episode is dedicated to the small business owners who took a risk to feed people during tough times. We salute you.
Molly Baz is on a mission to make the perfect breakfast burger! On this week's episode of The Burger Show, Molly and Alvin's challenge will be to combine the best of both worlds—breakfast and burgers. Just think of it. Seared patty. Gooey cheese. Soft eggs. Squishy bun. *Chef's kiss* So what makes the ultimate breakfast burger? Molly's gonna make a delicious Smash Patty Breakfast Sando, and Alvin will crank out a spicy hashbrown bacon burger. Ya dude, get ready.
Sometimes the best burgers are in the places where you least expect to find them. On today’s treasure hunt, skate legend Tony Hawk, Alvin Cailan, and Alvin's line cook, Christian Alquiza, are gonna tour some hidden gems of the burger world. For the first stop, Alvin and Tony Hawk will try a classic cheeseburger from an iconic Mexican food stand, Yuca's. After that, Alvin will link up with his line cook to visit his favorite neighborhood teriyaki spot, B-Man's, for a ridiculously good teriyaki burger. You ready? Let’s go!
Good Mythical Morning's Rhett and Link have eaten tons of fast-food burgers on their show, all in the name of research. So what better time for a burger battle, right? Host Alvin Cailan vs. Mythical Chef Josh. Two culinary experts at the height of their powers. The challenge? Build the ultimate fast-food burger mashup by cherry picking elements from their favorite chains. May the best burger win!
Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo is on a culinary quest to make a custom burger inspired by 'The Upside Down'! Referencing the Demogorgan, vines, and other iconic creatures from the show, Alvin's burger is unlike anything you've ever seen. So get ready for an epic adventure as Alvin molds Gaten into the ultimate burger pro.
Comedian Eric Wareheim is a foodie of the highest order. So what impresses Heimy these days? Alvin had to go all out and do something special. Behold—the burger omakase tasting menu. A chef's choice of 3 burgers from 3 different eras in hamburger history. The hamburg steak. The classic drive-in burger. And the modern A-5 Wagyu burger. Let the voyage begin!
What’s the best burger? It’s a question Alvin has been asked a million times. But he thinks we’re approaching it the wrong way. What we should be asking is: What is the best burger based on your budget? Do you have $5, $10, $15, or $20 in your pocket? After all, you can’t compare a fast-food burger with a dry-aged burger. It’s not a fair game. In today's Burger Show episode, Alvin invited an old buddy of his, actor Elijah Wood, to go on an L.A. burger tasting quest, and rate the best burgers by price point. Which burger reigns supreme? Tune in to find out!
Is there anything more nostalgic than a burger? Chefs of all different backgrounds agree that it holds a special place in their hearts. That's why we asked Tasty's Rie McClenny, the legend Wolfgang Puck, and Burger Show host Alvin Cailan to take us down memory lane and show us how to make their favorite childhood burgers. Teriyaki burgers from Japan? Wienerschnitzel burgers from Austria? Sunday Gravy burger from California? We've got it all.
What are the burgers that influenced Burger Scholar George Motz? To answer that question, we have to head to his hometown region of Long Island, New York. In the season finale of The Burger Show, George Motz shows Alvin Cailan how to make 3 hyper-regional burgers that he grew up loving: the Chamby (a hamburger topped with ham), the Chester (a grilled cheese with a patty in the middle), and the Crispy Fried Onion Burger. What do they have in common? They're all simple, classic burgers that date back nearly 40 years. Get ready to learn about these life-changing hamburgers!
The Burger Show is back! After soaking up the greasy wisdom of New York’s burger scene in Season 1, our trusted bun-and-patty sherpa, Alvin Cailan, is following the trail of burgers back to his hometown, Los Angeles. L.A.’s burger resume is legendary, and with the help of friends like Seth Rogen, food-truck pioneer Roy Choi, radio legend Evan Kleiman, and food scientist Dave Arnold, Alvin’s ready to dive deep into what makes the West Coast ground zero for burgers. From secret, off-menu burger taste-tests, to exploring the science of what makes burgers delicious, welcome to The Burger Show Season 2, Los Angeles.
In a special Burger Show "Bonus Episode," one of the great minds of the art world—Takashi Murakami—teams up with one of the great minds of the burger world—Alvin Cailan—to taste-test each other's custom Wagyu burgers at the 2018 ComplexCon. You may know Japanese pop-artist Takashi Murakami from his collaborations with Kanye West. He also happens to be the ambassador of ComplexCon, where musicians, artists, and fashion designers converge at a weekend-long convention. This year, Murakami brought his burger restaurant, Bar Zingaro, to the First We Feast Food Lagoon to show off his special truffle tempura burger.
The Burger Show is back! For Season 3, Alvin is taking his burger quest on the road to learn about the the burger's storied past, and gain insight into its future. From high-flying skate tricks and ramen burgers with Tony Hawk in San Diego, to racing the world's first burger robot with MythBusters Tory Belleci in San Francisco, to a regional master class with George Motz and Binging With Babish in NYC, Alvin is determined to understand America's reputation as "Burger Nirvana." Stay tuned for more burger exploits with friends like J. Kenji López-Alt and Casey Neistat.
The Burger Show is back! Get ready for better burgers, bigger stars, and even more cities. Catch Sean Evans on an epic burger tour in his hometown Chicago. Get a master class on how to make amazing regional burgers with Modern Family's Ty Burrell—prepared by your favorite burger scholar, George Motz. Learn about international burger styles with Youtuber Mike Chen. Debate the best veggie burgers with To All The Boys I've Loved Before star, Lana Condor. And, last but not least, witness Binging With Babish test his burger skills by doing a shift at Alvin Cailan's restaurant. Buckle up.
The Burger Show is back! Get ready for another season of classic regional burger styles with Bon Appetit's Brad Leone; comedic shenanigans with Big Mouth star Nick Kroll; rating L.A.'s best burgers with Seth Rogen and Adam Richman; and hitting the highway for the ultimate Texas burger road-trip with everyone's favorite Burger Scholar, George Motz.
To help raise money for the millions of restaurant workers affected by COVID-19, Binging with Babish, Mythical Chef Josh, and Alvin are teaming up to cook the ultimate teriyaki burger using leftovers as part of the #LeftoversChallenge fundraiser. Take-out and delivery are the last lifelines for many restaurants and they are urging people to continue their support. That’s why we’re introducing the challenge: Order more take-out from a local favorite than you can eat in one meal, make the most creative dish possible out of the leftovers, post it on social media with #LeftoversChallenge, and challenge your friends to do the same. If you have the means, please click the button to donate to the Restaurant Worker’s Community Foundation (https://www.restaurantworkerscf.org/). During the COVID-19 outbreak, the organization is distributing 50% of all funds received to direct restaurant worker relief, 25% to non-profits serving restaurant workers, and 25% to zero-interest loans for restaurants starting back up. Make sure to check out the videos of other participating chefs, including our friends Binging with Babish, Mythical Chef Josh, Joshua Weissman, and Internet Shaquille!
The Burger Show Season 6 is here! Alvin Cailan is back for another meat-cheese-bun adventure jam-packed with more burgers and more special guests. Get ready for a whirlwind: the world's spiciest burger challenge with H3H3's Ethan and Hila, a Simpsons steamed ham showdown featuring Binging With Babish, a high-octane burger training session with comedian Gabriel Iglesias, a smashburger masterclass with George Motz and Kenji Lopez, and an international burger tour with YouTuber Casey Neistat. Catch the season premiere on Tues. 11/17!
We've featured hundreds of burgers on The Burger Show: all shapes, all sizes, all genres. And while we've made it our mission to preach meat-cheese-bun minimalism, there are certain burgers that make us stop in our tracks and say, "WTF is THAT." Yes, these burgers deserve our attention, too. Without further ado, we present to you the 5 craziest burgers from The Burger Show—including a $777 burger, the world's spiciest burger, an insane Jucy-Lucy, and more! Thanks for your continued support Burger Squad. We'll see you next year.
From an old-school tavern in New York, to a 4th-generation family-run burger shack in Texas, here are 5 classic American hamburgers that every aficionado should know about. Craftsmanship, attention to detail, and generational love are what make places like Apple Pan, J.G. Melon, Herd's, Cassell's, and The Region bucket-list burger spots. Classic burger joints are everywhere. As always, remember to support your local burger heroes!
The Burger Show is back! We've missed you all so much, so we're bringing the heat. Get ready for host Alvin Cailan to take you on a journey of fast-food icons with George Motz and Kenji Lopez, crazy high-end burger experiments with Joshua Weissman and Cody Ko, a caviar and truffle burger master-class with Rich Brian, a secret underground burger pop-up tour with DJ SOSUPERSAM, and more! The Burger Show, Season 7 — Let's do this!
Would you ever pay $1,000 for a burger? It's a question now worth asking as we see an influx of triple- and -quadruple digit burgers hit the market. Here on The Burger Show, we always preach simplicity. But that hasn't stopped us from dipping our toes into the Baller Burger Scene. Get ready for the 5 most expensive burgers ever to appear on The Burger Show. From a decadent beef-rib burger with comedian Gabriel Iglesias, to a luxurious Wagyu burger with NFL star Marshawn Lynch, these burgers are guaranteed to break the bank!