A must-have on menus, the burger has been in our kitchens for a long time. He therefore deserved to have a book devoted to him in Quebec… which has been the case since May 11 thanks to the man who is nicknamed the king of the burger! The inimitable Simon Jodoin-Bouchard, alias Simon de l’Est, has an obsession for the burger as compulsive as his obsession with barbecues and spicy sauces. The creator of the brand of sauces and rubs SJB BBQ and chef owner of Chez Simon urban canteen offers us in his new book burger much more than his famous recipe of burger smash. Welcome to his gourmet world!
Simon, how do you fall in love with burgers?
My love for cooking dates back to my childhood, but I vividly remember the pork burgers my dad made on his gas barbecue, which he had tampered with to add charcoal. I’ve included his (improved) recipe in my book, as well as that of my mother Madeleine’s fried chicken sandwich. I then became interested in the barbecue thanks to the Food Network programs, and I quickly became passionate about this type of cooking, including that of the burger of course. But it was really during a trip to Texas in 2018, during which I tasted the patty melt Whataburger restaurant, that my vision of the burger has changed… and that it has become a real obsession! I had to create the perfect burger for me. And when I felt that I had finally found the recipe for the ultimate burger — the smashburger —, I opened my canteen in Hochelaga.
What does a perfect burger look like to you?
It can be many things, because you can make a burger in so many ways. What is important is the combination of flavors and the balance of salt, sugar and spices in the recipe. A good burger is well stocked and explodes in the mouth. Which doesn’t mean it has to be overdone. Like chef and host Anthony Bourdain, who said that a burger can be eaten with one hand, I personally prefer burgers with few, but quality ingredients. So, a good roll, a very fresh meatball, a good sauce, caramelized onions, sweet pickle; it all adds up to something that is eaten well.
What is your more global relationship with food?
I am someone of abundance. It’s funny, because I have a famous naturopathic brother who takes care of people’s health, while I, well, break it, ha ha! But more seriously, for me, food is essential. My life would have no meaning without her. And there is nothing premade in my daily life. For example, impossible for me to simply prepare a skewer with rice. No, it must at least be marinated and cooked over charcoal. Well, I don’t prepare food every day. brisket (long-smoked beef brisket), which I reserve for happenings with lots of people at home, but I cook a lot. big ones mac & cheesecurries, lots of things.
Which brings us to Burger, which is full of proposals. How did this project get started ?
I’ve always been a pretty reckless guy, and my decisions, I take them like that, on the spot. This was the case for barbecue competitions, for the launch of my first sauce in 2016, for the opening of my restaurant in the midst of a pandemic. [et alors que Simon n’avait jamais travaillé dans un restaurant !]. The idea for the book actually came to me after that of a blog dedicated to burgers. As I was bad at computers, I proposed this project. And since I like to believe in a certain luck factor, it was accepted! So that between two rushes at the restaurant and employees who were returning or not, I embarked on this adventure which lasted almost a year.
Your book explores multiple facets of the burger/sandwich and what can go with it (sides, sauces, cocktails). Why ?
Because in life, I like lots of different flavors. So beyond the American tradition, I offer burgers with Portuguese, Mexican, Indian or Mediterranean accents. For example, I’ve been making myself a lamb and blue cheese burger for a long time that my friend Clinton would refuse to taste, because Americans are much more closed to burgers than we are. I am also a travel freak and very curious about food. I love back kitchens, things that aren’t on the menu. I even watch recipe videos in Hindi without subtitles on YouTube! It is therefore this fragmented vision of cooking that is reflected in my book.
What message do you want to convey through your book?
Above all, I hope that it will reach all types of audiences. 90% of the recipes are simple to make and made up of few ingredients, so don’t be afraid to tackle them even if you’re not a cooking or barbecue pro. Besides, a burger cooked in a pan or on a plancha is just as good as on the grill in my opinion.