There are many ways to show your love for cats. You can post them on Instagram, buy them a heated blanket, or, apparently, turn their food into human cuisine. That’s what Michelin-starred chef Alice Ostan just did, and according to people who’ve tasted it, the results are suspiciously edible.
Ostan teamed up with London-based cat food company KatKin to create a “burger” made from premium cat food ingredients. We’re not talking about the chalky gray stuff that slides out of a can. KatKin’s products are made with fresh meats, the kind humans technically could eat, though most wouldn’t unless prompted by a dare or a power outage.
But Ostan didn’t stop at forming a patty. She breaded it with panko, layered it with ricotta, parmesan, lemon spread, and KatKin’s own bacon jam, then stacked it on a ciabatta bun with cucumbers, lettuce, sun-dried tomatoes, and a drizzle of hot honey. It’s equal parts gourmet and over-the-top.
Humans Won’t Stop Eating This Burger That Was Literally Made for Cats
“It tastes just like the meat I buy for myself,” one taster said. Another called it “absolutely delicious.” A third admitted they’d never have guessed it was made from cat food in the first place.
So far, the feline-friendly burger isn’t for sale to the public. But the internet’s fascination with off-menu, limited-run burgers isn’t going anywhere. Upscale Manhattan spots like the Crane Club, Caviar Russe, and Society Cafe have been slinging some of the city’s most coveted patties on the down low; you just have to know when to ask.
At Society Cafe, for instance, only a handful of burgers are made each night. “It’s truly a labor of love,” said chef Nicholas McCann. “It’s not something we can produce in larger numbers without compromising the quality.”
Back at KatKin, it’s unclear whether Ostan’s burger will end up on any menus, feline or otherwise. When pet food tastes like a chef’s special, it’s hard not to rethink what qualifies as “human-grade.”
We called it pet food. A chef called it dinner. Perspective’s a funny thing.
The post This Cat Food Burger Was Made for Pets, but People Are Eating It Anyway appeared first on VICE.
