The Cattle Call – Interview with Harry Hawk, from Schnack & Leske’s Bakery

The Cattle Call – All the beef that’s behind the people who make & connect us to the Burgerverse.

Harry Hawk is a marketer who is also an award winning burger chef (2008 Burger Battle of Boroughs). He is into burgers that are juicy and media that is social. On Twitter @hhawk.

Name: Harry Hawk

Website: http://schnackdog.com

Where do you live: New Jersey

Favorite style of Burger: One that has been Smashed and lightly cooked, with amazing meat, no cheese.

Favorite Childhood Burger: Dad’s from the backyard grill.

Burger that haunts your dreams at night: The amazing burger in Richmond Va, at Honey Whyte’s.

What is the one Burger you’ve always wanted to try but still have not: I’ve tried 100s and I’ve sold more than 100,000 — in the end I’m more in love with my own burgers (the Schnackie and the Motz Burger). Too many of today’s burgers are so crazy in build that you couldn’t possibly taste the meat. I’m sure they are great food, and fun to try, share on social media, and even share with friends — but they are not, for me, great burgers. I am in the end, a burger purist.

The secret to making a great Burger: Great meat, light seasoning, fresh soft bun.

Under no circumstances whatsoever, what should NEVER be put on a Burger: Cheese.

American’s love their fat and done right cheese is a wonderful package of fat and umami flavors — but it hides the taste of the meat. A proper burger like my award winning Motz Burger (2008 Burger Battle of the Boroughs), is the perfect example. Cheese is something that gets added to food because it helps sell the dish and sell it for a higher price. Cheese is great for covering up bad meat, dry meat, and poorly cooked meat. If cheese and great meat went together Peter Lugers would be selling cheese on top of every steak. The French do have a steak with Roquefort cheese that is amazing but it’s a flavoring, not a monolithic topping; I love a good cheesesteak (shout out to Tony Luke!)  but I am the enemy of the cheeseburger as should all fans of great tasting meat.

If you could have a Burger with anyone alive, or dead, fictional or real, who would it be and where would you take them: My hamburger hero George Motz.

Please use this space to talk about or plug anything else you want: Harry is available for all your burger catering needs. Pick your favorite blend from Schweid & Sons and then call Harry!

MEET HARRY & EAT A SCHNACKIE!

Harry is a little bit of a local Burger legend here in NYC and unfortunately Schnack closed it’s doors years ago. From time to time though, Harry will bring back the Schnack in the form of a pop-up. They don’t happen often though so when they do, don’t miss them!

Food Karma Presents Cook Out NYC: Cider Feast 

Saturday, August 8th, 2015
Stuyvesant Cove Park at Solar One
End of 23rd Street on the east side of Manhattan
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm

From the producers of Pig Island, NYC Hot Sauce Expo and Brisket King of NYC, comes the return of Cook Out NYC™! We invite you to join us on Saturday, August 8th, for Ciderfeast: a sophisticated outdoor cider event featuring the best regional, national and European ciders from more than a dozen cider makers pouring 30+ ciders as well as perfectly paired outdoor grillables and live folk music.

30 different Ciders from 10 different Cider makers will be featured at the event as well as a number of different tasty foods including Harry Hawk’s Schnack sliders.

Get your ticket now and get your Schnack on at CiderFeast!