The One Time McDonald's And A Michelin-Starred Chef Joined Forces

When you think of McDonald's, images of fine dining and gourmet food probably don't come to mind. Sure, the fast food chain serves up some tasty burgers, crispy fries, uniquely battered nuggets, and dreamy McFlurrys (when its ice cream machines are working). But, overall, the chain is most known for its convenience, low prices, and quick service, not Michelin star level food. However, in 2021, the chain challenged this notion, by teaming up with Paul Cunningham, a two-star Michelin chef. Cunningham is an English born chef who works primarily in Denmark, where his two-star Michelin establishment is located. His culinary philosophy elevates tradition in food rather than keeping to what is trendy, a philosophy that he carried over to his work with the golden arches.

McDonald's and Cunningham released its collaborative burger in January of 2021. The burger was called The Homestyle Bearnaise, and it featured a beef patty topped with potato sticks, lettuce, cheddar cheese, a smoked onion puree, and, of course, a delicious Béarnaise sauce. Now, you wouldn't be amiss in not recalling such a unique collaboration, as this burger was only released in Denmark. However, though the collaboration was relegated to one market, it did stir up quite the controversy in the culinary field, with some chefs, including Christian Puglisi, expressing their distaste for the collaboration online.

Regardless of its original controversy, it seems that the Homestyle béarnaise burger has had some staying power, as it is still on the McDonald's menu in Denmark nearly four years after its original release. Perhaps the biggest draw of the burger is its seamless fusion of high and lowbrow food, combining the rich, homey flavor of an all-beef burger with high end sauces and toppings. 

But the shining star of this menu item is the inclusion of béarnaise sauce, an offshoot of one of French cuisine's mother sauces, hollandaise. Béarnaise sauce is often served with steak, making it a great pairing for the beef burger patty. The sauce is made by emulsifying egg yolks with butter and vinegar, similar to hollandaise, which uses lemon juice. In addition to this, béarnaise also includes other seasonings, such as tarragon, which gives it a bit more complexity than hollandaise. Adding such a distinct sauce to a McDonald's burger offered a truly unique melding of fine dining with the comforts of a fast food burger. This, paired with the onions, potato sticks, and cheddar added atop the burger, makes this one unforgettable item, even if it hasn't exactly helped the franchise gain a true Michelin star.