WestendBistroDC.com

Chef Eric Ripert's burger at Westend Bistro in Washington, D.C., won't wow the customer who wants esoteric mustard and truffle cheese options.

It's a very simple burger, as was previously reported. Meat, lettuce, tomato, pickle, condiments from the recognizable tubes. And the most "interesting" part? A toasted challah bun. At $18, some customers are automatic critics, noting the lack of creativity on this burger.

But now the simplicity makes more sense. Ripert told Gourmet magazine that he takes inspiration from Burger King and McDonald's, especially the Big Mac. Size is important for Ripert, who likes that "you can grab them in both hands, and they're never too tall or too wide." The toppings are also spot-on for him: "all to scale, including the thickness of the tomatoes, the amount of lettuce."

Whoever can snap a shot of him playing with plastic rainbow balls in the parking lot ball pit gets points.