Chef and owner of Original Patty Men, Scott O’Byrne, has been crowned champion by M&S in a UK wider burger competition. This summer the retailer has launched its ‘Best Ever Burger’ and, to put it to the test, challenged top chefs across the country to create the ultimate burger topping recipe for their hometown, showcasing the very best regional flavours and produce.
M&S’s Best Ever Burger features a mouth-watering combination of short rib, chuck steak and bone marrow for ultimate succulence, providing the base for Scott’s creation. Taking inspiration from Birmingham’s food scene, Scott’s winning-recipe includes a mouth-watering mix of maple syrup bacon jam and tangy Berkswell Cheese to dress the M&S patty. Fresh lettuce and tomatoes completed Scott’s recipe, bringing together sweet and savoury in perfect harmony.
Scott O’Byrne, Owner and Head Chef at Original Patty Men, said: “I’m a firm believer in sourcing fresh and high quality ingredients from local suppliers for as many of my recipes as possible. To create a truly iconic Best Ever Burger for M&S, I brought together the finest local ingredients including Berkswell Cheese and a selection of locally grown vegetables. The cheese adds a fresh and fruity flavour to the burger, while the vegetables add crunch and sweetness.
“Winning the M&S’s Best Ever Burger competition is a brilliant feeling and I’m really proud to represent Birmingham and the wider region. The city has a thriving burger scene and it’s so exciting being part of this; it’s amazing to have national recognition for my recipe and one which I hope everyone enjoys making at home this summer!”
Kirsty Adams, M&S’s Beef Product Developer and one of the creators of ‘Our Best Ever Burger’, added: “The burger is having a serious moment and we wanted to celebrate just how diverse and delicious it can be by partnering with some amazing chefs. It took a year to develop Our Best Ever Burger and it’s now our fastest selling summer product, which is a restaurant quality patty that can be enjoyed at home. We were excited to see how the chefs put their regional twist on it and we weren’t disappointed. Scott is a very deserving winner and the judges couldn’t get enough of his recipe, which brought together simplicity with knockout flavours!”
Renowned Chef and London restaurateur, Neil Rankin, was the challenge’s head judge alongside Karen Barnes, editor of delicious. magazine. Commenting on Scott’s recipe, Nick said: “Scott was a clear winner with all three judges. The bacon jam was meaty and rich, the Berkswell cheese did not overpower the meatiness of the burger and the use of green tomato was refreshing and added excellent contrast.”
Karen added: “I loved the inventiveness of the burgers and the way the chefs showcased the diverse produce from their region. It’s not easy getting a good balance of flavours, while still allowing the taste of the top-quality burger to shine through, but our top three all did that brilliantly. The winner managed to capture clean and complex flavours in one bite, and the Berkswell cheese gave a wonderful sharp-savoury edge. Well done, Scott!”
Scott started out as a chef by hosting pop-ups with his culinary partner Tom Maher at Digbeth Dining Club, where the popularity of their burgers quickly grew to infamy. The chefs opened ‘The Original Patty Men’ restaurant in Birmingham and in 2018 they opened their second site. The restaurant’s produce is sourced from specialist independent suppliers or from small, high welfare regional farms and all of its meat is free range.
