George Motz, AKA the Burger Scholar himself, graced the city of New Orleans with a hamburger po’boy pop-up last night at neighborhood favorite Hot Stuff. Brought to you by Nathan Barfield and Mason Hereford, Hot Stuff is a cafeteria style, meat and three spot serving up flavorful, soul-filled eats, and it’s a favorite of George’s to visit when he’s in the Big Easy. After many visits for lunch (his daughter goes to school at Tulane), George and Nate decided to collaborate on this incredibly fun-filled (and yummy) evening, that had fans lining up an hour and a half early.
If you don’t know George – he truly is the Hamburger King – he is the founder and owner of Hamburger America in New York and the author of multiple books documenting the history of the American hamburger. His work exploring regional burger traditions has also appeared on television, including as the host of Burger Land on the Travel Channel and through ongoing contributions to First We Feast with his Burger Scholar Sessions series.
It was a dream come true for this hamburger-loving girl; I have George’s latest cookbook (which he was selling at the event), and my husband and I binged his show on the Travel Channel a couple years ago. We went on to cook multiple burgers he highlighted on the show and have been big fans ever since. I clearly was not the only super fan in the house last night; a line snaked around the block as folks anxiously awaited their hamburger po’boys, and one patron was even dressed up in full costume as the Hamburglar (I tip my hat to you, sir!).
So what was on George’s hamburger po’boy that kept the crowd so elated last night? It was simple and delicious – grilled beef with American cheese, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayo – served on local Leidenheimer French bread. It was seasoned with Tony Chachere’s, and most were topped with Crystal Hot Sauce, which sat on every table.
Thank you George, for bringing so much joy to the city last night! If you are in New York City, you can catch this hamburger po’boy at Hamburger America through March 11. And, if you are a big Burger Scholar like me, you can catch George on the road next month! He will be on the West Coast bringing the burger love to Santa Anita Park on March 14, and Yellow Paper Burger in Eagle Rock on March 15. Follow @motzburger on Instagram for more!
Southern food done properly is one of those things that’s hard to explain to people who haven’t experienced it. The combination of technique and history in every dish is remarkable. Was looking at some Southern US food photography for a piece – https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/southern-food-usa.html – and it reminded me how visually rich this cuisine is. Great write-up.
Thanks, Tom! It was such a great event!