At Seamless, we’re pretty obsessed with knowing everything about popular NYC restaurants—including the people who run them. With our Couch Convo series, we sit down with the owners of the most delicious local spots. Next up: Tom Rowse, one of the owners of Ghost Burger—a delivery-only restaurant.
Seamless: We’re going to hit you with the big question first, Tom. Why a secret location?
Tom: Our Executive Chef Brent Hudson has such a strong history with his burgers being named as one of Australia’s Top Ten Burgers by BuzzFeed.com. But adding burgers to our other restaurant, Hole in the Wall, didn’t really work because it specializes in brunch fare. With the continuous rise in the appeal of delivery concepts, we thought we’d utilize our current kitchens and operate an exclusive burger concept.
Seamless: On the Ghost Burger website, it mentions that your “ingredients are honest.” What does that mean?
Tom: It means we use locally sourced and fresh ingredients only. While we keep our location secret and you can’t dine in-person, we wanted to make sure people knew that the ingredients we use are only the best!
Seamless: You only have three burgers: Fat Boy 2.0, The Power Plant and The Stinger. Why such a minimal menu?
Tom: This allows us to operate Hole in the Wall and still offer a premium burger concept. If we were to add too many items to the restaurant or to the Ghost Burger concept, it could start to affect one or the other. A small menu allows for premium offerings and delicious results.
Seamless: What’s special about each burger?
Tom: We wanted to highlight the best of each common burger offering, which includes a big beef burger, a spicy chicken sandwich and a healthy-ish plant-based option!
Seamless: If people aren’t in the mood for a burger, what else should they order?
Tom: We have a great salad option called the Power Bowl. It’s full of nutritious ingredients like shaved zucchini, falafel, sweet potato and beet hummus.
Seamless: If the beyond burger patty, a.k.a. The Power Plant, and spicy chicken sandwich, a.k.a. The Stinger, were in a cage match, which one would win?
Tom: The Stinger would hit sharply with every bite, whereas the Power Plant would hit hard with every punch. It’s a tough one but I think the Power Plant could take the Stinger with some smart hits.
Seamless: You’re originally from Australia. What’s the biggest difference in Australia-style cuisine and American-style cuisine?
Tom: Generally speaking, a lot of the food in America can be heavily pre-prepared and processed so we like to bring our Australian approach to cooking and preparation by making everything fresh to order with locally sourced and fresh ingredients.
Seamless: Any upcoming menu items you want to share with us?
Tom: We have an additional burger coming to join the team this summer, but it’s still being developed. Stay tuned!
Seamless: Three words that describe Ghost Burger. Go!
Tom: Fresh, mouthwatering and filling.
