What’s your take on buns?

“The potato bun is the winner. Brioche, as fancy as it sounds, does not structurally hold up at all. It’s made of nothing but eggs and butter. So basically, you put a delicious, perfectly caramelized, 20-percent-fat patty on a brioche bun and five minutes later it’s breaking down. It sucks up all the grease and the fat and juice, and it’s just terrible.”

—David Guas

Chef/owner of Neutral Ground and Bayou Bakery

What about grocery-store beef?

“When you buy your patties already made in a supermarket, smash them down a little bit with the tips of your fingers. Make it flat, flat, flat and very thin. Because when you cook it, it will retract. Brush it with soft butter on both sides and salt, pepper, whatever you want. Put that on a very hot grill or flat-top, it’s going to be delicious. And brush some butter or beef fat on the buns and put them on the grill for ten or 20 seconds. It makes a big difference.”

—David Deshaies

Chef/co-owner of Unconventional Diner

What should I put on my burgers at home?

“The most important thing is seasoning: a liberal amount of salt and pepper—like, way more than you think is the right amount. Especially if you’re doing a thick, eight-ounce burger.”

—Matt Adler

Chef/partner at Caruso’s Grocery and Cucina Morini

How do you cook burgers at home?

“A cast-iron skillet or griddle is going to be great—you want heat. The problem with some home-cooked burgers is that people will get the pan kind of hot because they’re scared to smash the burger down, and then the temperature drops. By the next flip, or even on that side, it’s simmering, not searing. Cast iron is going to retain that heat. If you’re melting cheese, put an ice cube or a little water in the pan, cover it, and it’ll melt really quickly.”

—Rock Harper

Chef/owner of Queen Mother’s

What’s the ideal percentage of fat in ground beef?

“If you’re doing it on a griddle, you want a burger with fat content that’s a little bit higher—80/20. If you’re doing it on a grill, 85/15. Too much fat creates too much grease—and a lot of fire.”

—Elias Taddesse

Chef/owner of Mélange Foods

This article appears in the August 2025 issue of Washingtonian.