A Talk With a Beijing Burger Fanatic: Joshua the Burger Bro

Vincent R. Vinci, Contributing Editor | Dec 7, 2022 2:56 pm | Add a comment | 146 reads

With the Beijinger’s Juicy Burger Month still in full swing, we decided to talk to a few burger fanatics based in the capital -- all of which are the most active members of our Beijing Burger Lovers WeChat groups -- to find out more about their favorite food.

Today we speak with Joshua Linder, a self-proclaimed “Burger Bro” from the US who likes to use his skills in filmmaking and videography to document his burger eating adventures in the capital and beyond.

Where are you from and how long have you been in Beijing?
America, 11 years

How often do you go out for burgers?
Every week

What led you to start make videos about your burger eating adventures?
I wanted to make a parody of vlogging in general because I take video making too seriously. But I also take burgers very seriously so now burger vlogging is my one true passion in life and these videos are a sacred truth.

What's your favorite Beijing burger and why?
If I am feeling nostalgic for America, then I want a Cheeseburger from Great Leap. If I want to feel like a master of the hutongs I choose Side Street’s K.O burger. And once I had a smash burger with jalapeño which I just hold a fond memory of from Q MEX.

When looking for the perfect burger, what's your criteria?
Seasoning on the bun, juiciness of the meat, if the toppings and additional flavors enhance or distract from the burger meat, and the general satisfaction of the experience.

Any burgers you're looking to try over this month?
I actually just flew to Guangdong and had a fantastic burger made by a French chef at a restaurant called La Mome. But for the burger cup I would like to try the burger from Apollo, just because I haven’t yet.

Now that Juicy Burger Cup is over, who do you think should win next year's contest and why?
Who should win? Well the winner should go to most passionate fan base for the burger, because it’s a popularity contest. As for an award for Beijing’s finest burger – well that should go to… I’m not sure maybe I should taste test a few more.

While Juicy Burger Cup may be over, our Juicy Burger Month is still happening until Dec 11! There's still a week left to get out there, try some burgers and stamp your passport to win great prizes.

To stay up to date with the latest on burger restaurant openings and closings, it’s best to join our Juicy Burger Month WeChat group. Here we post an updated list everyday of operating and delivery status for all the participating restaurants. You can join by adding TBJButler on WeChat and requesting to join (make sure to specify if you want to join the Chinese or English language group).