Creator, the culinary-robotics organization founded in San Francisco, announced the opening of a new flagship restaurant at Westlake Shopping Center (514 Westlake, Daly City, CA 94015). At this new dining destination, Creator is introducing first-of-its kind robotics technology that enables ingredient-driven customization at unparalleled speed, while building on its foundation of delivering high-quality burgers at accessible prices.
At the new Creator restaurant, the upgraded culinary platform provides the opportunity for chefs and guests to invent and experience their ideal burger creations based on their specific preferences. This unique style of customization differentiates Creator from most restaurants, which rely on head chefs to reproduce their signature dishes over and over again. Creator empowers chefs to scale their creations infinitely with faultless precision, freeing up time and energy to innovate and develop new and exciting menu items. From sauces measured by the milliliter to seasonings by the gram, the evolution of Creator’s technology reproduces burgers that reflect a chef’s vision consistently and cost-consciously, starting at $6 a burger.
“This new restaurant is Creator’s the next step in fulfilling our mission of democratizing access to high quality food,” says Alex Vardakostas, the founder of Creator. “We have spent the last year jamming on a bunch of innovation. This new experience allows guests and chefs to actually take control of our machine, build their perfect burger and unlock their culinary genius.”
Creator is also expanding its culinary capabilities. Ground to order brisket and chuck is perfectly seared, creating more Maillard reaction and browning. Each individual patty is more tenderly packed to allow for better texture and tantalizing flavor molecules. In addition, Creator now offers more than 25 new sauces and seasonings, and new toppings such as lardons, caramelized onions, locally-sourced Petaluma Creamery cheese and house-cured pickles. The team is also launching a rotating selection of soft-serve in flavors like French Vanilla with first-press olive oil and smoked Maldon salt, Chocolate, Coffee and Lychee. The experience will also introduce a new position in the burger-making process. The “Garde Manger” – whose translation is “Keeper of the Food” – will provide a level of human oversight, ensuring consistency and quality across customization.
Returning talent Chef Tu David Phu of Top Chef has designed the Tumani Burger in the new Creator kitchen using the enhanced technology. “The new Creator ensures that everything I want in a burger and all my favorite flavors are executed to my vision,” says Chef Tu. “Given the complexity of my burger, with ingredients like fish sauce, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, I’m continually impressed that the technology reproduces my burger exactly as I’d make it, without me having to be there.”
Whereas expanded customization is typically associated with longer wait times, Creator’s new burger-making process is also 30% faster. Automated ordering and AI-driven software will allow guests to know precisely when their order will be ready. Overall, Creator hopes to provide an approachable, convenient, and above all delicious offering to Daly City.
“The pandemic has been incredibly challenging to everyone in hospitality and, frankly, we were not excluded. We feel incredibly lucky that we’ve been able to not only emerge but make forward progress in our vision for Creator,” says Vardakostas. “We recognize how fortunate we have been to have spent the last year building new technology, and we are proud and grateful to be part of the vibrant Westlake Shopping Center and the broader Daly City community.”
