Shake Shack has teamed up with the Los Angeles Fire Department to help raise money for firefighters, one burger at a time.
The exclusive collaboration between the burger chain and the fire department came at EEEEEATSCON, a food festival stylized like a music festival, complete with a lineup of food vendors similar to that of a music festival lineup; there are even restaurants from other parts of America in town so that foodies can try new things they would “otherwise need plane tickets to try,” according to the festival website.
KTLA 5’s Erin Myers was in Santa Monica on Sunday with the lucky assignment of trying all the delicious food options at EEEEEATSCON, including the Shake Shack x LAFD collab.
“We prepared a menu to celebrate the bounty of where we are and the history of Shake Shack with a lot of the things [LAFD Captain John Marasco] loves,” Shake Shack Executive Chef John Karangis told Myers, alluding to the fire captain standing next to him with whom he shares a first name. “We’re calling this the ‘LAFD Firehouse Shack’.”
That burger comes with “fire engine red” pepper relish, sweet and spicy bell peppers, and, as Chef Karangis put it, “all the good things that you get in traditional ketchup, just elevated.”
All that on top of an American cheese burger with Shack pickles and a spicy Shack sauce (since Captain Marasco likes to keep things spicy) sounds great, but there’s more, and it might not be what you would expect.
“We have our legendary crinkle-cut fries and we incorporated more of the bounty of Southern California, so we have a sea urchin Shack sauce that’s drizzled on top of the fries,” Chef Karangis explained. “And we have some shaved and marinated Meyer lemons that bring great acidity, and some crispy prawns with fresh chives. It’s a bit of a surf-and-turf combo, and I’m really excited about it.”
LAFD Captain Marasco was quick to quip that “two Johns did make a right” when it came to the creation of the burger.
“Chef John allowed me to collaborate with him on this burger, and it’s amazing,” Captain Marasco said.
If the words of a chef and a fire captain aren’t enough to persuade you to try the limited-edition food creation, maybe Erin Myers’ opinion on the burger is.
“That is very good…the perfect amount of spice,” she said after taking a big bite.
The “LAFD Firehouse Shack” is not available at regular Shake Shack locations; it is only available at EEEEEATSCON on Sunday. For every burger sold, a dollar will go to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, which helps LAFD provide critical equipment and programs for communities.
EEEEEATSCON is taking place at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica through 6 p.m. Sunday.
More information on the event can be found at this link.
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