Anthony Bourdain's Golden Rule For Adding Tomato To A Burger

While there are countless ways to dress up a burger, sometimes less is more — especially according to Anthony Bourdain. The late celebrity chef, TV host, author, and food adventurer was vocal about not overcomplicating a burger. And when it came to adding tomatoes as a topping, he had a golden rule for doing so with grace: Just add one slice, and make it thin. "What you want to avoid is a tectonic slide, when your burger starts shifting around," the late chef said in an interview with Splendid Table. 

Bourdain described wanting "a representative bite of every layer in each mouthful," but you don't want to layer on too many tomatoes or thick hefty slices which cause the burger to topple over and fall apart. Although tomatoes add a crisp, juiciness that cuts through the meaty patty, you only need a little to do the job. An onslaught of tomatoes can introduce juice and seeds which distract from the burger at hand.

Just like Bourdain claimed some greens never belong on burgers, specifically leafy ones like baby arugula or mesclun, overloading a burger with veggies that add bulk and moisture to the sandwich can mess with the distribution of the main star ingredients. According to Bourdain, those ingredients are: a soft bun, good-quality beef, and processed, meltable cheese. All other ingredients should be added sparingly, as a complement — not to unnecessarily overwhelm (and make a mess of) the burger-eating experience.

When making burgers at home, it helps to view the meal through the lens of an architect. After all, the process of putting together a burger is what Bourdain described as a balance of flavor and structural integrity. Whether you cook thick, restaurant-style burgers on the grill or make thinner patties, the meat should shine through and work in perfect conjunction with the bun and melty cheese. This means you want high-quality base ingredients, like the best meat blend for burgers with 20 to 30 percent fat content, as well as a quality bun that will toast nicely and hold the patty without overshadowing the flavor and tender texture of the meat.

While there's certainly room for creativity in crafting a great burger, as Bourdain said, "the ideal burger holds together as you eat it." So, as long as you're slicing your tomatoes and other ingredients thinly, feel free to add them on. Just remember not to stack or overload the situation, since excess tomatoes or other veggies can make for a soggy burger that will probably fall apart. 

While overloaded burgers can look eye-catching on an Instagram feed, they're a bit of a disaster to eat IRL. So keep things simple and enjoy the beauty of a straightforward burger, sans excess frills. When in doubt, ask yourself the question Bourdain recommended for selecting optimal burger toppings: "Does it make it better?"