# I found the Best Burger in NYC Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpleCFdVSGw Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/ZpleCFdVSGw Generated: 2025-12-15T22:04:31.802+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The best burger in NYC is arguably the Legendary Cheeseburger from Nowon (No. 15 on the World's 25 Best Burger list), which features a complex, flavor-packed Korean-inspired smash burger style utilizing A5 Wagyu trimmings, custom kimchi special sauce, and a brioche bun, contrasting with the simpler, highly-regarded $35 Wagyu burger from Peter Luger. **Key Points:** - The video explores the best burgers in NYC, featuring a visit to Hamburger America (where George Motz demonstrates making a simple 3-ingredient burger) and Nowon (Chef Jae Lee's Korean-inspired smash burger). - Nowon's Legendary Cheeseburger is ranked No. 15 on the World's 25 Best Burger list for 2025 and costs $21. - Hamburger America's classic burger follows a simple three-ingredient philosophy: beef, cheese, and bun, utilizing 3oz portions of 75/25 beef, seasoned only with salt, and cooked on a flattop with a dome to melt the cheese. - Nowon's burger is complex, featuring double 4oz patties (made from A5 Wagyu trimmings), kimchi special sauce, avocado, pork belly, egg, pickles, and chives on a sesame seed brioche bun. - Peter Luger's burger, ranked No. 13, is a simple Wagyu tenderloin patty basted in beef tallow and topped with Parmesan cheese on a sesame potato bun, costing $35. - Chef George Motz emphasizes that simplicity (like his 3-ingredient burger) or quality ingredients (like the A5 Wagyu at Peter Luger) are key, contrasting them with the complex, flavor-layered experience of the Nowon burger. - The video highlights the dedication of chefs like George Motz (Hamburger America), who spent his life studying burgers, and Jae Lee (Nowon), who creates complex, award-winning flavor profiles. ![Screenshot at 18:48: The owner of Nowon presents a cross-section of his complex, Korean-inspired Legendary Cheeseburger, revealing the double A5 Wagyu patties, kimchi sauce, and multiple toppings, illustrating the intense flavor profile discussed.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZpleCFdVSGw/00-18-48.png) **Context:** This video documents a culinary tour across New York City to find the best burgers, featuring interviews and demonstrations from two prominent figures in the burger scene: George Motz, the chef and owner of Hamburger America (known for his documentary 'Hamburger America'), and Jae Lee, the chef/owner of Nowon, a highly-ranked Korean-inspired restaurant. The exploration contrasts simple, classic burger preparation with complex, gourmet iterations. ## Detailed Analysis The video concludes that the best burger in NYC is subjective, showcasing three top contenders: Hamburger America's simple classic, Peter Luger's high-end traditional offering, and Nowon's complex, Korean-inspired smash burger. Hamburger America's burger relies on simplicity, using 3oz balls of 75/25 beef, smashed on the griddle, seasoned only with salt, and served with cheese, onion, and pickles on a toasted sesame bun, costing $7.50. Peter Luger's highly-rated burger (No. 13) uses dry-aged Wagyu tenderloin, basted in beef tallow, topped with Parmesan Kraft cheese, served simply with a pickle and a sesame potato bun for $35. Nowon's Legendary Cheeseburger (No. 15, $21) is a complex, double-patty smash burger featuring avocado, pork belly, egg, pickles, chives, and a house-made Kimchi Special Sauce (Kewpie Mayo, sesame oil, aromatics, homemade kimchi) on a brioche bun. The chefs agree that while simplicity has its place, the labor and unique ingredient combinations (like the A5 Wagyu trimmings and aged beef at Peter Luger) justify the higher price points for a truly exceptional burger experience. The video also features a brief sponsorship segment for AG1 nutritional supplements. ### Hamburger America - Simple 3-ingredient philosophy - Uses 3oz of 75/25 beef patties, seasoned only with salt - Burger costs $7.50 - George Motz is the chef/owner and a burger documentarian. ### Nowon Burger Construction - Features double 4oz patties made from A5 Wagyu trimmings - Topped with cheese, pork belly, egg, avocado, pickles, and chives - Uses a Kimchi Special Sauce (Kewpie Mayo, sesame oil, aromatics, kimchi) on a brioche bun - Ranked No. 15 on World's 25 Best Burger list (2025) and costs $21. ### Peter Luger Burger - Ranked No. 13 - Uses dry-aged Wagyu tenderloin patty basted in beef tallow - Topped with Parmesan cheese on a sesame potato bun - Costs $35. ### Cooking Techniques - Hamburger America uses a smash technique on the flattop, seasoning one side only, and uses a dome with water to steam and melt the cheese quickly. - Peter Luger uses a high-heat broiler for steaks, which they also use for burgers. ### Final Thoughts & Cost Analysis - The Nowon burger is complex, while the Peter Luger burger is simple but uses high-cost ingredients (A5 Wagyu, aged beef). The cost difference ($21 vs $35) reflects the ingredient quality and labor involved. ![Screenshot at 00:03: A 28-day dry-aged patty with melted cheese cooking on a griddle, representing the simple, high-quality approach.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZpleCFdVSGw/00-00-03.png) ![Screenshot at 00:17: A framed New York Post article declares George Motz a 'Rare Burger Champion'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZpleCFdVSGw/00-00-17.png) ![Screenshot at 00:59: The precise 3oz portion of 75/25 beef used for Hamburger America's patties is displayed.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZpleCFdVSGw/00-00-59.png) ![Screenshot at 03:46: The final Peter Luger burger and fries presentation, served on a silver platter with a comic-style liner.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZpleCFdVSGw/00-03-46.png) ![Screenshot at 11:05: Chef Jae Lee shows the cross-section of the complex Nowon burger, highlighting the multiple layers including avocado and egg.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/ZpleCFdVSGw/00-11-05.png)