Chef Reuben Ruiz has made 603 different burgers in just three years, and with each new twist, there's no phoning it in. They're piled high with the kind of toppings that make ketchup and mustard seem like amateur hour. We're talking Jameson-apricot glazes, black pepper-maple coated bacon, even a thick slab of mozzarella that's covered in Doritos and deep-fried. He doesn't mess around.
Ruiz's family challenged him to offer a new sandwich of the day, every day, a few years ago at his restaurant, Airport Cafe & Liquors in Miami. About a year in, his surprising creations became such a hit that people started requesting them as soon as they walked in — without even knowing what that day's special was. Some sandwich of the day creations were so popular, he had to add them to the cafe's regular menu, like the Cherry Jack Daniels BBQ Burger.
"It's a flavor explosion. You've got the sweetness of the glaze — the Jack gives it a little bitterness, but the cherry and brown sugar cuts right through it," Ruiz explains. "I had to throw it on menu. People eat it with a fork and knife and go HAM on it."
The key to that creativity, day in and day out? "Well, I used to weigh 280 pounds. I lost 100, but I keep that inner fat kid alive and well," the former Next Food Network Star competitor laughs. He dropped the pounds by walking regularly, gradually easing into sweat sessions at the gym, and found himself hooked. But that didn't mean his tastes changed.
Ruiz starts with the flavors he's craving — be it Cheetos or Jameson — and starts experimenting from there, until he finds a flavor combination that's too wild to pass up. From there, it hits the daily menu — and his Instagram account, @chefreuben — and if it's popular enough, it might earn a spot in the regular rotation.
It's one thing to see these massive burgers. To get the full experience, you'll have to head to Miami.
Follow Delish on Instagram.
Download the Delish app.
