You know, sometimes you want the big-night-out bang-for-your-buck splendour of fine dining, other times you want to grab a burger, right? Well, new venture JoBro’s Burgers, brings together the fine-dining credentials of chefs Josh Barlow and Brody Jenkins with a sustainable ethos and a dose of philanthropy wrapped in the casual vibe of a roaming food truck. “It couldn’t be further from what I do here,” Josh laughs gesturing at the spacious, plush surroundings of The Sugar Club, where he is executive chef, “but food’s food.”

The pair met when working at The Grove, where they joked about running a food truck, a far cry from the intricate, complex food they were creating. A couple of research trips to the States and Brody had the concept nailed. “Supersimple, cheap, delicious and fresh,” he says. “But we upped it by adding sustainable and organic, which no-one else is doing,” adds Josh. “We want to take the essence of fine dining and put it into a burger, but keep the price reasonable.”

So, since February 2019 they’ve been manning the new truck, serving up burgers that are good for you, good for the planet and good for others. How so? Well, good for you because they’re committed to sourcing the best quality, freshest produce; think buns baked to their specifications from Daily Bread in Pt Chevalier, Taupo beef or NZ First Light Wagyu beef from Neat Meat and a vegan option that has no soy, no gluten, no GMO.

Good for the planet because wherever possible they using locally grown, sustainable and organic produce. Good for others because they are forming an alliance with mental health not-forprofit, All Good. It’s early days yet but they hope to collaborate in events where people meet to eat good food, drink good drink and create a space where people can talk about mental health.

It’s clear that these guys really love their burgers. “We don’t want gourmet, we want messy. The best burgers are those that leave a dribble of sauce dripping down your arm. That’s want you want, that’s what a burger’s supposed to be. We do not want to see anybody using a knife and fork to eat our burgers.”

For now you can find the truck at events, small markets and private functions; keep an eye on social media which will tell you what’s coming up. @jobrosburgers