South Warwickshire's new burger joint
AN engineering degree and a nine-year career with a British aerospace company is not the usual path for the owner of a burger joint.
But Jason Rowe said he “figured life is too short” and decided to follow his passion. Food.
The latest result is Patty Smashers, which has just opened in Alcester and is a celebration of American-style burgers.
“People diss American food culture but if you actually visit, every town from Los Angeles, California to the East Coast has a very different way of doing things, like Italy,” Jason told the Herald.
He cites US author, filmmaker and historian George Motz’s work, which highlights the origins of the fastfood favourite from all over the USA, as his inspiration.
The result is that Patty Smashers offers burgers, complete with homemade pickles, with ingredients sourced locally where possible.
The business is an expansion for Jason, who lives just outside Norton Lindsey with his business (and life) partner Angela Trickett.
Originally from Hull, it was following the death of his stepfather in 2003, who had had a four-decade career in aerospace he didn’t particularly enjoy, that Jason decided to take the leap into the food business.
He set up an online catering business and Brownie Heaven, a dessert supplier.
A fine dining restaurant in Beverley followed and after a move south to the Midlands, a successful 300-cover American barbecue and smoked meats eatery was established in central Birmingham.
He originally chose the Patty Smasher premises in the Arden Forest Industrial Estate for his brownie business, but said he was attracted to the building as it resembled a diner that would not look out of place on the streets of New York… and that vision has turned into reality.
Patty Smashers will be managed by Angela’s niece, Claire, and her partner Kevin.
“It’s a true family business,” Jason added.
The plan is to expand the menu of burgers and chicken to a lunchtime offer of American-style soups and sandwiches.
But what makes a top burger? According to Jason there are two main camps. One that leans to the thick steak-like style burger cooked over coal on the East Coast of the USA. Then there is the smash burger, a thinner-style patty cooked simply on a flat top grill.
“I love both but my leaning is the smashed style, seasoned only with salt, served in a bun that can hold the filling, melted cheese, crispy lettuce, sweet raw onion or cooked caramelised onion, beef tomato and maybe a little gherkin, and an on-the-spot burger sauce of American mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup,” said Jason. “I can’t seem to beat this simple combination, savoury, salty, sour, sweet, creamy and savoury umami explosion.”
Find out more at www.pattysmashers.com.
