First We Feast asked me to weigh in on my bucket-list burger, along with 17 other food world folks:

Kinsman says: “Las Vegas appeals to many of us in large part because of its implied absence of personal responsibility. Bedtime? Irrelevant. Last call? Nonexistent. Moderation? Oh, please. The limit does not exist (save, of course, for your bank balance)—it is bounded only by the scope of your imagination. And wouldn’t you know, it applies to burgers, too.

In Hubert Keller’s Burger Bar, there is no chef-imposed doctrine (“We don’t DO ketchup,” “Lettuce and tomatoes? Hush, you bun-gumming rube!”), only your desire, which you may express in the form of multitudinous patty, bun, topping, and condiment options. Would you care to have your Wagyu patty nestled twixt halves of pretzel bun and slathered in chipotle aioli and “hangover sauce”? It shall be made so, my lord/lady. Might your dream burger ideally be decked with a lobe of foie, a sloppy measure of Gruyere, an egg, some peppercorn cream sauce, avocado, and a shaving of black truffles? Make it happen, cap’n.

The chef recommends? The chef gets to recommend bupkis. You are Fernand Freaking Point, Julia Goldanged Child, and James Bleeping Beard all rolled into one burger-wolfing potentate of Planet You, and who could possibly have a beef with that?”

Read what the others had to say at 18 Bucket List Burgers to Try Before You Die