Chef Edward Lee recently told viewers on a YouTube episode he filmed with Chef Kwon Seong‑jun that their collaboration boosted sales for a rival burger chain. Chef partnerships in the burger world have been turning heads among culinary pros — and they’re expected to stay hot this year.
Fast‑food brands are increasingly putting trusted chefs front and center to improve the odds for risky new menu launches. The recent Netflix series "Black and White Chefs" has also fueled public interest, making chef-backed items feel more relevant. Plus, these collabs let brands offer products that really reflect a chef’s signature style.
Mom’s Touch, which scored big with Chef Edward Lee last year, will roll out four new items with writer Kim Poong on the 7th. Kim isn’t a traditionally trained chef, but he’s built a loyal following as the playful “DIY chef” personality. Since he doesn’t run a standalone restaurant, this collab gives fans a rare chance to taste his food — and that buzz is exactly what the brand wants. Mom’s Touch also teamed up with Chef Hudukjuk in March.
Frank Burger announced a partnership this month with Chef Jeong Ho‑young — its second chef collab after working with Chef Yoon Nam‑no last year. Burger King launched a new item on the 1st in collaboration with Chef Yoo Yong‑uk of the Yoo Yong‑uk Barbecue Lab, pairing Burger King’s flame‑seared patties with Yoo’s smoking expertise.
Shake Shack is marking its 10th year in Korea with a summer menu item co‑created with Chef Son Jong‑won. Since entering Korea in 2016, Shake Shack has worked with top chefs like Kang Min‑gu, Kim Dae‑cheon, Lee Chung‑hoo and Park Jung‑hyun to keep its menu fresh.
Lotteria saw gains as well. The two "Napoli Mafia Mozzarella Burger" variants developed with Napoli Mafia chef Kwon Seong‑jun — winner of last year’s "Black and White Chefs" — sold more than 4 million units within three months, and have since become permanent menu items.
Burger chains leaning into chef collabs posted noticeable growth last year. Lotte GRS, which operates Lotteria, reported KRW 1,118.9 billion (≈ $839.2M) in sales — up 12.4% year‑over‑year — and operating profit jumped 30.6% to KRW 51.0 billion (≈ $38.3M).
Mom’s Touch reported consolidated sales of KRW 479.0 billion (≈ $359.3M), a 14.6% increase year‑over‑year, and operating profit rose 22.2% to KRW 89.7 billion (≈ $67.3M). For the first time, POS sales topped KRW 1 trillion (≈ $750.0M).
KFC Korea grew for a second straight year, posting KRW 378.0 billion (≈ $283.5M) in sales — up 29.3% — and operating profit of KRW 24.7 billion (≈ $18.5M), about 1.5 times the prior year.
BKR, the operator of Burger King and Tim Hortons, recorded KRW 892.2 billion (≈ $669.2M) in sales, a 12.6% increase, and operating profit of KRW 42.9 billion (≈ $32.2M), up 11.7%.
