What’s next for Bobby Flay’s burger chain? Creating a delicious veggie burger

You may know Bobby Flay from his show on the Food Network, but apparently not for his restaurant empire. 

Wait. Bobby's Burger Palace, which has 19 locations, including University City and Cherry Hill?

Look around, though. His face is nowhere. 

"Fifty percent of the people who come into our stores don't know Bobby is me," he said this morning during a chat at the Penn campus shop, part of a tour around his empire to inspire the troops. 

Eight years ago at BBP's founding, "it was important for me to put out a burger that's delicious," he said. "I named it 'Bobby' not after some guy on TV. I want it to be successful on its own volition." 

But with time comes change. Flay and business partner Laurence Kretchmer stopped BBP's expansion about nine months ago to reassess not only the branding but to address the menu. Gradually, they're introducing the Flay name and they're doing it by way of three salads billed as "#flayforall." 

Flay also is working on the chain's first veggie burger. "We can't hold back on this now," he said. "That's the Number 1 thing that people ask for. 'How come there's no veggie burger?'"

Problem is, Flay said, "I have never had a great veggie burger."

He and his kitchen staff are about to start development. "I know I'll fail 10 times before we get one," he said. Not only is taste important but it has to be replicable and consistent at all the locations. 

Not that Flay is getting all green and leafy on us. BBP just introduced bacon cheese fries, "and they're flying out of here."