Luke and his crew can be seen selling bacon burgers at the Grey Lynn Farmers market on Sunday mornings. How does an accountant end up selling burgers?
Who are the Bacon Brothers?
It all started six years ago at the Riccarton Bush Farmers Market in Christchurch. My middle brother had a job with a butcher selling meat at the market. When the butcher wasn’t keen to offer tastings, my brothers teamed up to set up our own stand selling bacon butties. After I came back from studying overseas I jumped in with them Saturday mornings.
And it grew from there?
We had lots of connections with Canterbury University and we ended up doing lots of collaborations with their events - their huge end-of-the-year tea party and music events throughout the year.
How did you end up at Grey Lynn Farmers Market?
I spent some time scouting farmers markets around Auckland to work out where we fit best. Grey Lynn is great for us because the people who go there are interested in good quality product and community. It’s not a big market but it has a great heart.
Your burgers come with some unusual extras. Why?
I’m really passionate about making a difference in someone’s day, even if it is just a small thing. So we added a few extras to our menu like a free hug, a cheeky smile or free life advice. At some markets, I even bring my guitar and offer a free song.
Is your brother still involved?
I speak to him most days about the direction of where we want to take Bacon Brothers, we have two trucks and a small burger bar in Christchurch, which my brother Troy and his partner Chloe take the lead of.
What happened to your love of drama?
I started studying acting up here last year and joined an Improv Theatre. I am the youngest brother therefore generally an attention-seeker so I love customer service and I am comfortable getting people to come out and play. We offer good fun, not just good burgers.
Give me an example.
The best thing is when people expect normal customer service but then we sometimes say we aren't going to make their burger until they tell us what their spirit animal is. We do get some weird looks from time to time but the whole idea is create a memory not just a meal.
How do you get those quirky burger names?
Our burgers are named after our regular customers, my legendary crew, and my mechanic. My truck spends a bit of time with the mechanic.