Umami Burger

Umami Burger is an American restaurant chain that specializes in serving hamburgers. The name refers to umami (savory) flavor, which is outside of the traditionally accepted tastes of salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. The restaurant was founded by Adam Fleischman, and is part of the Umami Restaurant Group. After opening its first location in Los Angeles in 2009, Umami Burger had branches in California and Florida as of 2013. Unlike most burger restaurants, it has waiter service and most locations have a full bar.

History

Fleischman was an aspiring screenwriter in 1998 when he moved to Los Angeles. In 2005, while eating a double cheeseburger at In-N-Out Burger—a cherished indulgence of his—Fleischman pondered over the reason behind the popularity of burger and pizza restaurants in America. The word umami came to mind, a term he had seen on food blogs and in books by renowned British chef Heston Blumenthal. It was then that Fleischman envisioned the financial potential of expanding on the basic burger and its umami properties. At the time, he was managing a wine business, BottleRock Wine Bar in Culver City, which he co-owned and later sold. He then held a variety of consulting positions and started another wine bar.