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The newest chef-driven competitor in the plant-based warThe newest chef-driven competitor in the plant-based war

Meet Lekka Burger from Amanda Cohen

Holly Petre, Assistant Digital Editor

December 5, 2022

 

While Lekka Burger — the plant-based burger concept helmed by South African humanitarian Andrea Kerzner and Amanda Cohen, executive chef of Michelin-starred Dirt Candy — opened its first location in New York City in 2019, the hype for the chef-driven vegan burger joint was drowned out by the pandemic hitting the city just four months later.

Now, Lekka Burger is starting to pick up momentum with the opening of the concept’s second location inside the Urbanspace food hall in Midtown East. Although the vegan burger space is starting to become crowded with new, buzzworthy concepts, Kerzner started out with the simple goal of standing out from the crowd with a chef-created burger that was not made with Impossible or Beyond patties.

Let's hear more from Joanna Fantozzi about Amanda Cohen entering the plant-based war.

 

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About the Author

Holly Petre

Assistant Digital Editor

Holly Petre is a digital editor for Nation’s Restaurant News as well as the host of NRN’s podcast, Extra Serving, and producer for Informa Restaurant and Food Group’s other three podcasts, One On One by Food Management, Off the Shelf with SN and In the Kitchen with Bret Thorn. Holly holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a concentration in Sculpture, fibers and Material Studies and Ceramics from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. A native New Yorker, Holly enjoys her place on staff as the resident pop-culture expert and millennial with a sassy attitude and great sense of style.

Holly Petre’s work on Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality often covers marketing and trends, either aimed-at or examined-through the millennial mindset. Holly is responsible for introducing TikTok and Twitch to NRN and RH readers as well as explaining terms like “Karen” to staff and readers alike. She also spends her time on staff trying not to make every headline a pun.

Holly Petre hasn’t spoken at any events or on panels, but she is readily available with a killer shoe wardrobe and several witty quips.

 

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