About the Author

In September of 2008 Sef "BurgerBeast" Gonzalez opened up a blogger account with the hopes to document his burger excursions around South Florida and beyond. You can also catch his Top 25 Burgers list for the Miami Herald every May during National Burger Month. He began to branch out beyond burgers and cover all facets of comfort food along with some food history and trivia. Burger Beast has been all over South Florida television and was featured on Travel Channel's Burger Land Miami episode. He is also the owner of the world’s only museum dedicated to the history of burgers, comfort food, and advertising, the Burger Museum by Burger Beast located at Magic City Casino in Miami, Florida. George Motz, Emmy Award–winning filmmaker and founder of the Food Film Festival, is the author of the travel guide Hamburger America (Running Press), The Great American Burger Book (Abrams), and was hailed by the New York Times as a leading authority on hamburgers. He has also hosted and produced Burger Land (Travel Channel) And hosted Made In America (Travel Channel). George lives in Brooklyn, is hard at work on a musical about hamburgers, and will punch the next person who blames farting cows for global warming.

Reviews

“We at Druther’s anxiously await our copies of Sef’s book in the mail. Sef was the only writer to reach out to our company regarding the history of Burger Queen, Huckleberry’s and Druther’s, as well as our company’s relationship with the Dairy Queen brand. He also respected the unique story of the last Druther’s Restaurant in the world, owned by our friend Steve McCarty, in Campbellsville, Kentucky. Sef’s pursuit of the real story, along with the way he writes about the histories of these storied American restaurants and companies, truly conveys the respect and love he has for the subject.”


—Bob Gatewood and Brian Easley, President & Vice President at Druther’s






“With All about the Burger, the Beast has created—most fittingly—a thing of beauty. A book so meticulously researched and passionately written, it is the crowning achievement of one of our greatest food authorities. You will devour it instantly.”


—Lee Schrager, Food Network’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival, founder






“Read it for the sizzling burger history, stay for the tasty lore, the recipes and the juicy insider info that only the Burger Beast could unwrap. Wherever you grew up in the US, you’ll find the burger place of your childhood in delicious detail.”


—Gretchen Schmidt, edible South Florida, editor






“For me, a mesmerizing page turner. I can’t put this damn book down.”


—George Motz, Hamburger America, author






“Some people look under the bun to see what’s on the burger, Beast looks right through it, the toppings and the patties to determine where it lands on the overall historical arc of the sandwich, in all of its mouth-watering glory. I have been listening to his flavorful burger anecdotes for years and now they have been collected together and cleverly presented in one nicely bound book. Beast is the undisputed king of burger history…insert trademark here.”


—Randy Fisher, CREaM, owner






“Burger Beast Sef Gonzalez leaves no bun unturned in this detailed look at the humble burger’s rise to becoming America’s iconic dish. I can think of no better chronicler for this meaty story than the man whose passion for burgers is boundless.”


—Michael Mayo, South Florida Sun-Sentinel dining critic and food columnist






“No one knows more about the rise and popularity of all things beef-on-bun—from national hamburger chains to regional specialties—than Sef Gonzalez a.k.a. Burger Beast. He’s a treasure, and All about the Burger is a must-read for any accomplished eater.”


—Evan S. Benn, former Miami Herald food editor






“All about the Burger is an amazing read that took me back in time and brought up some great childhood memories, all while teaching me things I never knew about the places I loved to visit.”


—Jimmy Piedrahita, Mojo Donuts & Fried Chicken, owner






“All about the Burger is the national story of one of America’s favorite foods that is digestible at a local level. Burger Beast shares the unknown and obscure facts that only a passionate historian can uncover.”


—Jorge Zamanillo, History Miami Museum, Executive Director






“All about the Burger is the go-to source for America’s tastiest subject. Hats off to Burger Beast for bringing over a hundred years of burger history together for all to enjoy.”


—Billy Kramer, NFA Burger, owner






“Sef uncovers details of hamburger history that not only fascinate, but will make the reader hunger for the next chapter.”


—David Hosticka, Dog ’n Suds, Muskegon, Michigan location owner






“Sef’s enthusiasm, though some would call it madness, about the great American hamburger is contagious. To know him is to participate in it, trust me. And I’ve found the only thing better than grabbing a burger with Burger Beast himself is diving into his book for a taste of the history behind this iconic sandwich.”


—Larry Carrino, Brustman Carrino PR, president






“So you’re asking yourself, ‘Where did it all begin?’ All about the Burger is a fun-to-read, witty book with tons of information about everyone’s favorite meat in between two buns. It’s must-read for all those burger connoisseurs around the world!


—Michell Sanchez, Latin House, chef and owner



“Sef knows comfort food, but not like you and me. Sef wants to know the history of a food, of a place, and how they influenced one another. He takes a scholarly approach to deeply research the history of the most American creation—the hamburger—and makes a meal of it. To a history buff, All about the Burger is as satisfying as a bacon double cheeseburger (hold the tomatoes).”


—Carlos Frías, food and dining editor, Miami Herald






“HOLY CRAP! That is some education that I just received. So cool…”


—Adam Feigeles, Adam’s Filling Station Food Truck, chef and owner






“An insightful look into the world of burgers along with glimpses into the business behind the scenes. A fun read on a subject we can all relate to.”


—Scott Savin, Magic City Casino, CEO






"Thanks Mr. Beast for taking the time to document and curate part of this great countries fast food history!"


—Andrew Zurica, founder of Andrew's classic roadside hamburgers by Hard times sundaes!






“In All about the Burger, Burger Beast takes the meat from out of the buns for all to see, an in-detail look at the various soap operas ‘novelas’ that built our fascination with this hand-held delight. A read and re-read that should be on a reference shelf.”


—Barry Hennessey, El Gringo de las Fritas






“All about the Burger is certainly packed with information about the great American staple sandwich, and the Burger Beast brings years of great research to the table, painting the picture of how some of our favorite chains came into existence. As a fellow restaurant historian, I find the Beast’s knowledge of fast food chains to be second to none, and he has proven to be a tremendous resource in my own quest for knowledge about America’s greatest eateries.”


—Troy Smith, Restaurant Rewind YouTube channel






“All about the Burger tells the complex story of a simple meal. Who knew that the history of the hamburger was fraught with all the elements that would make for an unexpectedly dynamic read? …The Burger Beast. That’s who!”


—Paul Hernandez, City of Hialeah Councilman






“ ‘Where’s the beef?’ If there’s one person who knows the beef’s whereabouts and how it got there, it is Sef ‘The Burger Beast’ Gonzalez, and he’ll tell you all about it in All about the Burger. With an inside look at the national burger scenes, burger competitions, and specialty burgers—including an entire chapter dedicated to the Frita Cubana! The Beast gives burger lovers the cheese on the birth and evolution of one of the most enduring cultural and culinary American phenomenon.”


—Ivonne B. Ward






“A must-read for anyone who agrees that the burger is one of the most iconic foods in America. This book has been painstakingly researched with so many details and inside information that will satisfy the cravings of any burger aficionado. With all of the craft burgers we have available now, this book gives us a historical view on how this American food staple became so prominent in our culture.”


—Adrian Simo






“The Burger Beast is tapped into the main line of South Florida burger culture. Hamburger aficionados will be fascinated by the Beast’s collection of burger lore.”


—JC Lopez






“This is exactly like eating fries out of the drive-thru bag. The next bit of history is better than the last and leaves you wanting more of that salty goodness.”


—Charlie Calderin






“Burgers, history, business, and great stories! Love it. We drive by these places every day and sometimes we take them for granted. Thanks for sharing the stories of these visionaries with us Burger Beast.” 


—Javier De La Vega






“If you love food and consider yourself a foodie, then this is the book for you. Burger Beast’s attention to detail is second to none. Beast has a real passion for telling the history of the burger. Run, don’t walk to get many copies of this book, and give them to your friends, especially the vegan ones.”


—Dan Vezina






“All about the Burger is the Beast’s love letter and tribute to America’s favorite food, a cross between nostalgia, great history, and tidbits on how it became the star of American food. I truly enjoyed reading and connecting to my earliest memories of tasting a burger and a bite of the American dream.”


—Ingrid Hoffman, celebrity chef, author, and TV host