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Michele Roesch was stuck with a commercial kitchen in Tipperary Hill after multiple sales fell through by November 2020. The Brasserie Bar & Bistro owner wondered how she could maximize the space and started doing research. It led her to discover the concept of a ghost kitchen.

“It kind of went from there,” she said.

Ghost kitchens have everything a restaurant needs to prepare and cook food without the dine-in option for customers. The concept has existed for a while, but the recent uptick in demand for more delivery options during the pandemic has sparked their growth.

Mad Burger Co. — a new ghost kitchen restaurant in Tipp Hill — will begin delivering to the public on Friday. This will be Roesch’s second restaurant, this one dedicated to serving sandwiches like hamburgers, plant-based burgers and fried chicken.

Unlike The Brasserie Bar & Bistro, Mad Burger Co. will solely deliver to customers through third-party apps like DoorDash and Grubhub. Despite the limited in-person interaction that’s anticipated, Roesch is excited to use Instagram more to connect with customers.

Mad Burger Co. and The Brasserie Bar & Bistro are not Roesch’s first experiences in the restaurant business. The business owner grew up working for her mom at the Tuscarora Golf Club in Marcellus. Her dad owned George O’Dea’s Pub from 2000 until she and her brother assumed ownership in 2016. O’Dea’s Pub is now closed, but Roesch is using the kitchen space to run Mad Burger.

Roesch hired Eat Local New York to run marketing for the ghost restaurant in January. Eat Local owner Anthony Tringale and Roesch speak often to go over social media posts and the business’ brand. Courtesy of Anthony Tringale

Anthony Tringale, the owner of Eat Local New York, an Instagram that promotes New York eateries, believes Roesch is well prepared for the opening process of her second restaurant because she’s been through much of the process before.

“Your first restaurant is very different than your second restaurant, just like I’m sure a parent would say your first child is very different than being a parent for the second time,” Tringale said.

Eat Local works closely on marketing and promotions with over seven restaurants in central New York. Tringale and Roesch officially started working together on marketing for Mad Burger Co. in January. But, the two have known each other through Eat Local for about four years.

When Tringale starts working with a restaurant owner, he normally has a meeting with them to establish the vibe of the business. This way, Eat Local knows how to design advertisements and social media posts to reflect the brand.

“If I go in to do the marketing for a ‘50s style diner, they already have their set clientele, their set voice, their brand identity,” Triangle said. “With Michele, it’s really cool because she is open to anything and everything and it’s starting it from scratch.”

Tringale said Mad Burger is currently thinking the most about how to provide a memorable first impression when the food is delivered. In the future, the business hopes to establish its own delivery service in addition to offering pickup when the weather warms up, Tringale said.

Syracuse University sophomores Bennicia Callaham and Brittnee Jean agreed that it’s important for restaurants to seriously consider how the food is transported because both students have had food delivered to them that came disorganized.

Roesch understands that people have dietary restrictions and personal preferences so Mad Burger Co. will offer plant-based patties and gluten-free buns. Courtesy of Anthony Tringale

Jean said third-party drivers don’t have a connection to the restaurants they deliver for, so Mad Burger Co. having its own delivery system and the perfect-sized and sturdy box for the food is important to limit messes during deliveries.

“If presentation is top quality for you, maybe have your own delivery,” Callaham said. “I did DoorDash with my friend, and she’s like throwing the food around.”

Roesch and Tringale aren’t concerned that customers won’t find something that they like. Despite the small menu, there is something for every palate, Roesch said. There are seven beef burger options and one fried chicken sandwich, but all-beef patties can be substituted with a plant-based patty. The restaurant will offer gluten-free buns as well.

Roesch wants to make sure the restaurant is inclusive of everybody’s different preferences. She understands that people have different dietary restrictions or personal choices, so she wants to make the menu as accommodating as possible and show that they have multiple options.

While testing recipes, Roesch worked with a few consultants, but she also looks for input from her 2-year-old son, Elijah. She said customers should look on Instagram posts and stories with her toddler giving honest feedback on the burgers.

Planning the menu, Roesch started with the concept of burgers from around the world and then the ideas just started to stem from there. Two of her favorites are the pizza burger and the Blacked Up burger with seared tuna in between two patties and guacamole spread on both buns.

“They’re mad good,” she said.

Published on March 14, 2021 at 10:13 pm

Contact Louis: [email protected] | @JBL__98