🕘 7 min read

The crowds lining University Avenue to get in on Shake Shack’s one-day-only pop-up today at Momofuku Daishō confirms the wild fandom of the iconic American burger brand stretches north of the border.

Speaking with culinary director Mark Rosati this morning, I set out to find out what sets the top burger chain apart from the rest and whether a Canadian outpost is in the cards.

Rosati’s road to success

Rosati didn’t set out to make burgers. Or even cook. Working in film and television, he was "inspired by food and service, and the beauty that we create," so decided to make the switch to hospitality.

Instead of the formal education route, he learned on the job, starting out as a line cook at Gramercy Tavern. To be in the same kitchen cooking alongside Tom Colicchio and Michael Anthony, "was one of the most exciting times in my life,” he says.

Wanting to learn the front of house side of things, Rosati took an opening as manager of the famed burger joint "begrudgingly." Spending a day in the kitchen with the team to see how it ran, he witnessed the fun and hospitality, and all those top-notch ingredients didn’t go unnoticed either. "They were using the same ingredients as Gramercy Tavern and Eleven Madison Park.” "I said I’d stay a year,” he shares. “One year turned into ten."

There are now 117 locations across the globe including Japan, the Middle East, Russia, Turkey, the U.K. and South Korea. Shake Shack Recipes & Stories, the company’s first cookbook co-written by Rosati and Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti, will be released this spring.

Secrets to making the ShackBurger

In summer of 2014, Shake Shack celebrated ‘Decade of Shack’ in New York City with a series of culinary collabs with celebrity chefs Daniel Boulud, David Chang, Andrew Zimmern, Daniel Humm, and April Bloomfield. It was during this event that Chang came up with an idea to use smoked shrimp, a play on surf n’ turf. "Light bulbs went off all across the kitchen," Rosati says. It wasn’t long before it became the beloved Shrimp Stack. A few months ago, Chang offered one of his Toronto restaurants, Momofuku Daishō, to be home to an exclusive one day Shake Shack pop-up.

"We’ve always had our eyes on the city (Toronto)," Rosati says, and despite the challenges of logistics – bringing in specific supplies and ingredients - "We want to make it really special." Today’s T.O. Shake Shack burgers include a local American-style cheese and Shake Shack’s proprietary meat blend, ground by a local butcher. While Rosati can’t divulge the secret recipe, he shares tips for making a stellar ShackBurger at home:

1. "We never used ground meat."

Shake Shack patties contain trimmings from different cuts, so he recommends using the whole steak and grinding it as Shake Shack does.

2. Grind at a low temperature

Grind at a low temperature, otherwise, the "fat content gets soft and smears. The colder temps will slice through the fat and keep it in the muscle," making for a more delicious, juicy burger.

3. Just salt and pepper

It’s all about the beef. You want to highlight great meat, so Rosati recommends adding only salt and pepper. If you want to introduce other spices and seasonings, he suggests adding them to mayonnaise, which will incorporate the flavour without masking the meat. 

4. "Keep it pure and simple.” 

It’s not just the food that sets Shake Shack apart from the rest. The operations team and supply chain are "heroes to me," Rosati says. From tools to training, they strive to "keep everything as consistent as possible." They spend a ridiculous amount of time thinking and rethinking about each and every little thing. "Most people think we’re just burgers, fries and shakes, but we think about it so much."

Take the fries, for example. They wanted a "pure, rich potato flavour." And then there’s the shape. Rosati, who grew up on the east coast in Connecticut, remembers "crinkle cut fries from ‘Hamburger Day’ at school. They’re nostalgic." Additionally, the ridges offer more surface area for crisp and crunch, with the valleys ideal lodging for condiments. Rosati says, “They pick up ketchup and cheese sauce better than anything else.”

Shake Shack Toronto

Today’s lineup around the block goes to show the love for Shake Shack extends to the Great White North, which begs the question: Are they ever going to open here for good?

"We have no plans to come here right now. We’re an international company and we want to be in all the great cities in the world," he says. "Maybe at some point."

In the meantime, you’ve got one day only to enjoy the Shake Shack x Momofuku Toronto menu:

ShackBurger Cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato, ShackSauce ($6.39)
Crinkle Cut Fries ($2.99)
Drinks: Steam Whistle Brewing Pilsner ($5), Norman Hardie Carbernet Franc ($8) & Chardonnay ($8), Coke/Diet Coke ($3).

Note: A limited number of burger and fries are available on a first come, first serve basis. $1 from every order will be donated in support of SickKids Foundation.

Pro tip: For BTS coverage of today’s events, follow Toronto Restaurants on Instagram: @torontorestaurants.co.

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