By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff Writer

Rodney Blackwell has fond childhood memories of eating burgers from McDonald’s. Family celebrations were marked by a meal at the fast food chain, and he’d inevitably order his favorite, a Quarter Pounder with cheese. He recalls the time the juicy burgers were on sale for 99 cents. His parents bought a bunch and put them in the freezer for him to have later as after-school snacks.

“Burgers were kind of always around,” said Blackwell, now an adult connoisseur. “It was the food that was always accessible.”

Few foods are as quintessentially American as the burger. While a summer grilling staple, burgers are enjoyed year-round. This is particularly true for Blackwell, who has turned a childhood treat into a passion he hopes will sustain his family for years to come.

He’s the owner of Plush Burger, a pop-up concept he’s looking to expand into a regular business.

Earlier this month, Blackwell graduated from the Alchemist Microenterprise Academy (AMA), a 12-week program that helps food entrepreneurs develop and promote their business concepts. The AMA, run by the Alchemist CDC nonprofit, empowers aspiring and existing food business owners with training and support, including access to an incubator program, kitchen discounts, and market opportunities.

With a commitment to racial equity, the AMA has had 267 Black participants (32%) since the program’s 2019 inception. This year’s cohort, which includes Blackwell, is also 32% Black, according to Jacob Sacks, Alchemist kitchen program manager.

Before the AMA, Blackwell hosted several pop-up events, but it wasn’t until the academy that his burger passion turned into a viable business plan. The academy helped with crucial business aspects such as licensing, health permits, cost management, and creating a sustainable business model. Blackwell learned valuable lessons, including the often-underestimated startup costs.

“Before the Alchemist Academy, I knew how to cook. I knew how to make burgers, but I didn’t know the business side of it,” he said. “Without the Alchemist Academy, I wouldn’t actually have a business plan or a direction to go in. They really help with narrowing down ideas.”

Outside of cooking, Blackwell has worked as a website designer and social media consultant.

“I’ve been an entrepreneur for over 20 years now and in all that time, I’ve never had a business plan,” he said. “I’ve just kind of winged it and done what I know from instinct. With the [AMA], I went from knowing how to cook to knowing how to make that into an actual business.”

Blackwell has judged championship burger competitions in Las Vegas and has traveled the country trying and reviewing burgers, which he shares with his food photography through his “Burger Junkies” blog.

He started the Sacramento Burger Battle as a fundraiser to help generate funds for the local Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, which ran from 2012-2019. His daughter has Crohn’s disease, an often-debilitating inflammatory bowel condition, and he supports efforts to further research and provide fun activities for youth. He also has held similar burger events to raise money for Puerto Rico hurricane relief.

“I realized that I really love making food for people,” Blackwell said.

Cooking Methods

Plush Burger’s menu will include burgers prepared in the popular smashburger style, characterized by thinner patties and seared, flavorful crust, known as the Maillard reaction.

The standard burger will include locally sourced grass-fed beef, but Blackwell’s menu is stacking up to be anything but standard. He’ll offer a rotating menu of “ridiculous burgers” with creative and seasonal ingredients.

Past creations include burgers with lemon pepper relish, crispy prosciutto, and even cinnamon toast cereal.

Who knows? That may actually catch on. “[The cereal] started out as a joke, but then it turned out to be an excellent, really good burger,” Blackwell said. “I don’t like to box myself into just the simple burgers that you can get anywhere. I like to try more creative things as well.”

Some of his attempts have turned out better than others.

“Now that I have the pop-up, I’ll go with what has worked, but I’ll still try different things in sort of my ‘burger laboratory,’” Blackwell said.

Blackwell plans to create a crowdfunding campaign to raise initial funds for his Plush Burger pop-ups. He’ll pop up at farmers markets, community events and night markets, and offer catering services. The goal is to establish regular locations, similar to a pizza food truck that sets up at a local tire shop, allowing customers to anticipate their weekly appearance.

Food Safety

Food businesses took a large hit during the coronavirus pandemic that closed down virtually everything in March 2020. Public health mandates forced restaurants to end indoor dining for months.

While many got creative and built outdoor dining structures and took to relying more on delivery services, others never recovered from worker shortages and decreased business, shuttering their brick-and-mortar locations.

The pandemic changed Blackwell’s outlook on eating out.

“Before 2020, I was in a restaurant almost every day of the week,” he said. “Then, when COVID hit, it changed my whole way of socializing. It changed my whole business. I stopped working in restaurants from that point. My daughter has Crohn’s. If she got COVID, it would not end well.”

With health concerns in mind, the pop-up nature of Blackwell’s business encourages burger lovers to get theirs to-go. To encourage safety, Plush Burger will offer discounts to mask-wearing customers. Blackwell will also prioritize masking for his staff, aiming to create a comfortable space for individuals who may still be hesitant to dine in traditional restaurants.

Ultimately, Blackwell wants to create good burgers that people will resonate with and come back for again and again. 

“It’s about that nostalgic flavor that people love,” he said.

Blackwell’s crowdfunding campaign is expected to launch within the next month, with the goal of starting operations by late summer or early fall, possibly coinciding with National Cheeseburger Day on Thursday, Sept. 18.There’s not much on the website now, but those looking to follow the business from the ground up can visit plushburger.com. The AMA offers annual sessions in the spring (March-May) and fall (September-December). For more information, visit alchemistcdc.org/ama.