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RETAIL REVIEW 44 • SHOPPING CENTER BUSINESS • December 2017 C hef-driven culinary concepts continue to top the charts as traffic-drawing destinations for shopping centers today. As millennials and Generation Z continue to place a focus on experience, offering a wide vari- ety of dining and entertainment options is becoming more important to a success- ful retail development. One such dining destination is DMK Burger Bar, created by James Beard-nominated chef Michael Kornick and restaurateur David Morton. "After attempting to find the best burg- ers in the U.S., we decided to create a con- cept that uses the best quality ingredients for the ultimate burger," says Morton. "As a restaurateur, I gladly joined Michael [Kornick], a five-time James Beard nom- inee, to open the first DMK location in 2009. As a business concept, we hope to move into the franchising realm to con- tinue the success and growth across the country." The concept — which currently has four restaurants and one specialty loca- tion open across the Chicago metro — offers artisanal burgers, salads, specialty fries, house-made sodas and boozy milk- shakes. "We choose to separate ourselves from other burger restaurants based on the quality of our ingredients," says Mor- ton. "We only serve 100 percent grass-fed beef patties, Colorado lamb and all-natu- ral turkey and veggie burgers. All of our burgers are paired with buns made daily by a local bakery and delivered to each store each morning. They are exclusive to DMK, as we worked on creating the per- fect texture and taste for approximately eight months." The menu offers burgers with next-lev- el toppings, including smoked bacon, charred balsamic red onion, fresh goat cheese, roasted hatch green chiles and Giardiniera. Even the French fry offerings take it up a notch, served with a choice of Parmesan and truffle cream, lemon Tabasco aioli, Sriracha mayo, house-made ketchup or Wisconsin cheddar cheese. "Our typical consumer is someone who is young, inventive and passionate about the food they eat," says Morton. "They are well-educated, understand and appreciate that our beef is 100 percent grass-fed, and all of our other products are thoughtfully curated as well." Morton notes that many of the restau- rants' frequent patrons are health-con- scious. "Many of our customers belong to a health club and maintain an active life- style," he says. "They are the young, urban professionals who use Apple products and shop at stores such as Lululemon. Our standard customer is willing to go the DMK Burger Bar Expands Backed by James Beard-nominated chef Michael Kornick, Chicago-based DMK Burger Bar seeks national expansion. Katie Sloan DMK Burger Bar locations are designed to feel like home. The interiors include exposed brick, high ceilings and chandeliers with Edison bulbs. The typical DMK Burger Bar is between 2,000 and 2,500 square feet.