I don’t even know what to say. It’s been 3+ years since I randomly started this blog and I have since documented 470 Burgers on it. I’ve eaten them in my house, at restaurants, festivals, VIP events, in my very own bar and even on 7 different TV shows! When I started my Glorious Pursuit For Delicious Burgers, I couldn’t have possibly imagined all the crazy places I would go, crazy people I would meet and moreover, crazy Burgers I would eat. Every bite I’ve had (except for that one Burger at T.G.I. Fridays) & every Burger buddy I’ve made were absolutely worth the countless hours spend in front of a computer screen typing about food & fun. I’m unbelievably honored to do this for you and I still can’t believe it’s all real…really delicious!!
What does it all mean to me? Well I covered that in my post about Burger Conquest’s 3rd birthday at Foodparc. Click to read.
150 Burgers eaten in 2011
At the end of 2011, THE BURGER COUNTQUEST is at 470 Burgers.
So, in the tradition of “12 Days of Christmas” I give you the final tally in my “12 Days of Burgers,” the 12 best Burger Conquests of 2011.
12. You’ve seen them in LA, you’ve seen them in NYC on their “Victory Lap” and you’ve seen them on TV but until now, you’ve never seen a Week In the Life of the Grill ‘Em All Truck.
Day 1 – Serving at The Other Door
Day 2 – Shopping at Charlie’s Fixtures, French Dips at Philippe’s & Serving at Verdugo Bar
Day 3 – Serving at Century Media Records
Day 4 – Grill ‘Em All vs. Nom Nom Truck & the BanHemoth
Day 5 – Gus’ Drive-In, Shopping on Olvera St & Paris Hilton
11. All the Sixpoint Beer you could drink, a ton of local chefs and all the Cookout & Country Fair food you can eat & a ferry ride to an Island, in NYC. Cookout NYC – An Awesome Day on Governor’s Island.
10. Sometimes you want a tasty Burg’ but you don’t want to leave your house. Sometimes the company that makes that easy to do, asks for my opinion and you get the Best Seamless Online Delivery Burgers in NYC by Rev, Burger Conquest.
9. Only 1 Burger I ate in 2011 was so good that it had to be added to my Best Outside NYC List; Second Bar + Kitchen – What You Should Eat During SXSW.
8. You know him as Zach Carothers, the bassist for the band Portugal. The Man. Me, I know him as “Hammburger,” the author of “Dear Cheeseburger,” the only column on Burger Conquest. After writing for this site, the band went on to get their own Burger on the menu at the Hard Rock Cafe. I talk about being Burger Famous all the time & this year, like a Vampire turning it’s victim, I made helped him to go from famous to Burger Famous. It all started at The Jackalope – Dances With Wolves, Burgers and Portugal. The Man.
7. A year ago this time, I was full-time immersed in a career in the music biz. Fast forward to today, I am working for Thrillist as the Partnership Development Manager for Thrillist Rewards. It’s an e-commerce marketing and sales role in business development for an Internet company. It all started with an amazing event at the home to my favorite Burger ever, that sold out in less than an hour; Rub BBQ – Thrillist Rewards Exclusive Off-Menu Burger Bash.
6. Road Tripping is a time honored tradition, but no one has ever done it like this before! The Brohd Trip – 3 Burgers, 3 Brews, 5 States & 3 Bro’s.
5. They say a cluttered desk means a cluttered mind and now I know, a fresh new shave means a fresh new idea. I grew a beard, got a shave, ate a Burger and “The Rev Meter” for Social Community was born. It’s a social community meter for assessing how optimized a bar or restaurant is with social networking. By taking what I consider to be the 10 most important social networks and creating a point system, I can accurately asses how well your business is using social networking as a tool. It came to me at the Bierhaus NYC – The Rev Meter for Social Community.
4. I was honored when George Motz and the Food Film Fest crew asked me to host the opening night of this year’s NY Food Film Fest 2011 – Cheers To Burgers and Beers. There, a movie called “The Good Beer Seal” made about me and my bar, Idle Hands, debuted to a sold out audience, twice. If that’s not crazy enough, Mayor Mike Bloomberg showed up and made an official proclamation that Oct 13, 2011 would be officially recognized as New York Food Film Festival Day! Next thing you know, I am asked on board as the festival Beer Sommelier and executive staff member of the festival. NY Food Film Fest 2011 – I Tasted What I Saw On the Screen.
3. In honor of National Hamburger Month I pledged to celebrate by eating 31 Burgers in the 31 days of May. The idea was to eat 1 Burger every day for the month. Well, as I like to say, “if it’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing,” and I ate 47 Burgers in 31 days. The best part, was all the fun I got to have with my friends.
The Best of National Hamburger Month 2011.
2. I start a silly blog, eat a bunch of Burgers all around the world, tell some crazy stories & pledge to eat 31 Burgers in 31 days to celebrate National Hamburger Month. Then I get a phone call from TLC’s “Cake Boss”, Buddy (the “Cake Boss”) from Carlo’s Bake Shop in Hoboken saw my National Hamburger Month challenge and wanted to make me a gigantic Hamburger Cake. Next thing you know, my friends, my bar and I are all on the Cake Boss – Buddy Makes Me A Burger Cake, I Make TV Better.
1. Before my Dad passed away in 1999 we used to talk all about the father & son Beer & Burger bar we would once own. On September 16 of 2010, with the help of some great friends, I opened Idle Hands Bar in New York City’s East Village. A year later, on the eve of our 1 Year Anniversary celebration, the 2nd half of the dream I shared with my Dad, came true with the help of my buddy Dan Petersen. That Burger Tent Takes Over Idle Hands and Billy Hurricanes.
THAT REV’S BURGER:
- Meat marinated in Maker’s Mark
- Grilled Pancetta
- Crunchy Peanut Butter
- Order it “Extra Blessing” style where the Patty is grilled with Hot Sauce
A Burger-riffic “Whoa Bundy” to all readers, my fellow Conquesters and all the fine places that made 2011 a Glorious Pursuit For Delicious Burgers. Here’s to total Burger domination in 2012.
