If You Blend It: Michael's On East turns up the heat in blended-burger competition

Many have pondered the possibility of improving upon perfection. And if ever there were a perfect food, the hamburger would be at the top of the list.

So what could possibly improve the American staple? Removing some of the health-related guilt and making the food more sustainable are a good start.

That’s the thought process behind the James Beard Foundation’s Blended Burger Project, which challenges restaurants across the country to develop a burger whose patty is a blend of ground meat and at least 25 percent chopped mushrooms.

The competition, which runs through July 31, is open to restaurants across the country, but Michael’s On East marks the only Sarasota restaurant to compete. The winner will be chosen based on the amount of online votes.

Executive Chef Jamil Pineda, the man behind the restaurant’s entry, says the challenge was right up his alley.

“We like to have fun here,” he says. “This was a great opportunity to experiment with some fun ingredients and do something a little different. As a chef, I like a challenge. I like seeing what the other restaurants are doing, and I especially like to see the customers’ reactions.”

His creation? The hefty, aptly named Mighty Mushroom Burger. For Pineda, the name of the game was surprise. Instead of beef, he opted for a bison patty, blended with chorizo sausage and beech mushrooms. The patty is then porcini rubbed and topped with pan-roasted trumpet mushrooms, Monterey pepper Jack cheese, tomato and sweet onion relish, baby romaine and Creole mayo and served on a brioche bun.

And in the event that you’re somehow still hungry after that, the meal also comes with a generous serving of truffle fries.

It’s a handful, to say the least.

“There’s a lot going on,” says Pineda with a laugh. “But all the flavors are well-balanced. You have a little bit of everything.”

His concept, he says, all started with the patty. He chose bison for its lean meat, beech mushrooms for their exotic flavor profile and chorizo to balance the mushroom. The mayo acts more like sauce, adding a little extra spice. The final touch, he says, is the bun.

A burger this big can be tough to tackle. The brioche bun is perfect for grabbing with two hands and squeezing everything down into a more manageable bite. Slightly.

When the competition ends, the burger might make its way onto the menu full-time, but for Pineda, he’s just happy for the chance to flex his creative culinary muscles.

“I want to give customers something unexpected,” he says. “I want them to leave thinking ‘Wow; what a great experience.’”