Long Island teen starts burger business where veterans eat for free, proceeds support military members: ‘Want to do the right thing'
A Long Island teen has started a smash burger business where veterans eat free, and a portion of its proceeds also goes to support current military members and their families.
'These veterans are sacrificing their lives so that we can put stuff together like this,' the burger-slinging soon-to-be high-school senior, Will Burrell, told The Post.
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4 Long Island high schooler Will Burrell teamed up with a local butcher shop in Mattituck to open a smashburgher stand — where veterans can eat for free and a portion of procceeds go to support military families.
Dennis A. Clark
The teenager, owner of Will's Smashburgers in Mattituck on the North Fork, said his special mission was inspired by his time at a military-style boot camp in Vermont.
His fans now include New York Islanders forward and Long Island native Kyle Palmeri, who brought his son to the store to eat and has since expressed interest in collaborating through the hockey player's foundation, which also supports veteran causes.
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'I wouldn't be able to do any of this without the freedom that we have, and that's because they're putting their lives on the line,' Burrell said of active and veteran military members.
The self-starting youth is all about paying it forward from his dedicated corner inside Center Cuts Gourmet Butcher shop, where he personally smashes patties and leaves handwritten, positive messages such as 'strive to inspire' on his customers' brown bags.
'It's not always about what money you make or how popular you are,' he said. 'It's that you want to do the right thing, always, never take shortcuts — and try and give back as much as possible.'
4 Will in front of his Will's Smashburgers sign at Center Cuts Gourmet Butcher shop.
Dennis A. Clark
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The young entrepreneur launched his palate-pleasing endeavor — which also offers merch such as patriotic American flag-printed T-shirts — last winter at a dinner event at the high school he attends in Greenwich, Conn. Burrell is from Long Island and lives there when not in school.
Burrell raised $1,500 while flipping burgers at the event for the pro-soldier Gary Sinise Foundation, which he now donates 10% of his Long Island proceeds to.
The high-schooler, 18, parlayed that initial success to cut a deal for a space in Center Cuts, where he had worked when younger.
4 Will go the idea to open the burger business after attending a military-style boot camp in Vermont.
Dennis A. Clark
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'I was forming burger meat into patties, I was making sausages, all that stuff when I was younger,' Burrell said.
'I come from a family of cooking, and I've loved it since I was a little kid. My dad taught me lots about barbecuing.'
Burrell, who also runs food trucks at his Brunswick School's athletic events, bought picnic tables for customers to eat on Center Cuts' front lawn.
A smashing concept
The teen said he had an eye-opening moment about the military when he attended Camp Spartan in Vermont and bonded with many former service members, as well as Spartan Race creator Joe De Sena.
'I learned a lot there, especially through talking with the veterans,' he said.
'After talking to Joe on a hike up a mountain, after a long few days of burpees and hikes, my perspective completely changed. It's so much better to just get the work done, take chances, take risks,' he said.
The lasting impact inspired Burrell, a family friend of several Green Berets, to strive for success and community impact, he said.
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4 Will told The Post he is only able to start a business thanks to the sacrifices veterans have made for the country.
Dennis A. Clark
His time in New England also became motivation for his plans to join an ROTC program in college and eventually pursue a career in the Army.
Until then, Burrell wants to keep making what the store calls the North Fork's best smashburger, he said.
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'You don't want to smash it too thin. … You caramelize the onions, crisp them up and grill them so it cooks evenly and then flip it so it cooks in the fat,' he said.
'Then there's the special sauce. It's ketchup, mustard, Dijón, mayo and pickle juice for just a little tanginess. Then there's the jam of bacon and onions — I love putting those together.'
Burrell also offers 'The Green Beret' special for battle-tested eaters: a full-sized smash burger topped with lobster and warm butter.
'We put lobster on it because no one told us not to,' his menu advertises.
Rising through the ranks
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As Burrell has become a smash hit in the local community — almost all his customers know him by name, and friends post fliers around Mattituck to spread the word — Will's Smashburgers is already expanding.
He hosted significant events at the Barnyard in Hampton Bays, has one planned for Macari Vineyard in August and is already earning celebrity clientele such as Palmeri.
'I'm super grateful for our veterans,' Burrell said. 'I'm grateful for this country. We live in the greatest country on the planet.'
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