Here’s How to Make Mr. T’s Insta-Famous French Burger at Home

How do you make the perfect French cheeseburger translate in America? That was the challenge facing restaurateur Guillaume Guedj, the brains behind Parisian bistro Mr. T, and his stateside executive chef, Alisa Vannah. In France, the original Mr. T serves a cheeseburger with charred eggplant and flambéed cheese. But while that might work for a French palate, aubergine hits different on American tastebuds. In order to round out their menu in LA — which also includes French classics like Cornish game hen, mac ‘n’ cheese (which they also flambé à la table) and steak beurre blanc — they simplified, referencing a more local burger vibe: In-N–Out. 

“The burger has been adapted for Los Angeles tastebuds, [so] we switched out charred eggplant cream with our ‘Mac T sauce’, which is an elevated take on In-N-Out sauce, complete with fried onions,” Vannah says. “The sauce is created using Kewpie mayo, ketchup, Dijon mustard, cornichons and Maggi seasoning.” While the secret sauce might be a welcome swap from eggplant for some, there’s one thing that Mr. T didn’t dismantle, and that’s a table-side flambé of the cheese, a dramatic torching that transforms the burger from a run-of-the-mill order into something much more exciting. 

Just check Instagram to get a sense of how much diners love watching the cheese bubble and melt, then squishing the bun back down on all of it. “We use a French contemporary technique because it’s our background and the burger follows the same concept,” Guedj says. “We wanted to do an elevated burger using American Wagyu beef. We incorporated a French cheese, Comté, which is flambéed, bringing an incredible depth of flavor. For us, it’s equally about the taste and the presentation.”

This Recipe Is for Advanced Burger-Makers Only

It starts with about a pound of Key West shrimp

Since their opening in Hollywood last year, the bistro has held its own among heavyweight neighbors like Gigi’s, Tartine and Mother Tongue, drawing both a neighborhood crowd and out-of-towners to the now-bustling Sycamore Avenue. And whether you’re a local or a visitor, the spectacle of a torched cheeseburger is going to be a draw. “The Comté cheese flambé makes the burger very special, with the grilled cheese flavor and aroma,” Vannah says. “We torch the cheese in front of our guests so they can smell the grilled cheese right away.” 

Translating global recipes with French techniques has always been Mr. T’s mission, so splitting the difference between American expectations and traditional methods was par for the course for their kitchen. “We use the best local ingredients seasonally to recreate global street food favorites from around the world using contemporary French technique,” Guedj says. “This concept allows guests of Mr. T to travel through our menu and fosters a sense of unity through food. This burger is a whole experience — the presentation, the taste and the show when it’s served.”

For those who have their own commercial-grade cooking torches ready to go at home, along with some Comté and Kewpie mayo, here’s the step-by-step instructions for impressing your friends and loved ones with a Parisian-style American cheeseburger. 

More Like This

Food

The Best New Spanish Restaurants in Los Angeles

Food

This LA Chef Is Sharing His Secret Tips for Smoking Meat Like a Champion

Food

A Frank Sinatra Favorite Is One of LA’s Best New (Yes, New) Restaurants