This year is The James Beard Foundation(JBF) Blended Burger Project™’s5th annual year. The Blended Burger Project is a nationwide contest and challenge to make a “blended burger” by blending ground meat with finely chopped mushrooms to create a delicious, healthier and more sustainable burger.

As a Blenditarian and a project ambassador, Chef Hajimaleki cares a great deal about sustainability and encouraging other chefs to create blended burgers. In his Umami Melt, he blends oyster mushrooms with high-quality Texas Wagyu beef for the patty. Once cooked, the patty is placed on a Hawaiian bistro bun and topped with the chef’s special Japanese Island Sauce and pickled bok choy, sliced cucumber and Delice de Bourgogne cheese from Antonelli’s Cheese Shop.

Oasthouse Umami Burger

Diners can vote and support both District and Oasthouse in the Blended Burger Project™ by:

  • Visiting jamesbeard.org/blendedburgerproject/vote to view the gallery and searching District Kitchen + Cocktails
  • Visiting District Kitchen + Cocktails on Anderson Lane from today, July 17 – July 31, 2019) and asking for the Umami Melt
  • Posting photos of the burger to social media tagging @districtkitchen_anderson with the hashtag #blendedburgerproject to spread the word!