A former chef of multiple Michelin-starred restaurants is ready to set roots in San Diego's North County with the upcoming opening of Tanner's Prime Burgers, an elevated smash burger concept that has been serving at the Del Mar Racetrack all year.
Chef Brandon Rodgers has worked in the kitchens at some of the top restaurants in Northern California's Bay Area, including famed The French Laundry in Yountville, CA. While working as chef de cuisine at San Francisco's Benu Korean-American fusion eatery, the restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars. Rodgers also helped open In Situ at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which subsequently earned a Michelin star and back-to-back James Beard nominations. Locally, Rodgers previously worked at Jack’s La Jolla, which closed in 2009, then at at El Bizcocho (now Avant) where he trained under James Beard award-winning Chef Gavin Kaysen to represent the United States in the 2007 Bocuse d’Or culinary competition.
For the past year, Chef Rodgers has partnered with San Diego's Brandt Beef and operated Tanner's Prime Burgers as a pop-up concept within Blue Moon Celebrity Grill in the 3rd Floor Clubhouse at the Del Mar Racetrack during both the summer season and the current Bing Crosby fall incarnation. Named after Eric Brandt’s son, Tanner's serves a menu of cheffed up smash burgers. The signature creation includes a 1/3-pound Brandt Beef patty topped with Brandt Beef bacon, caramelized onions, thinly-sliced sweet onions, lettuce, special sauce, and the New School American cheese created by chef and culinary pioneer Eric Greenspan.
