Chicago’s most secretive burger operation is mostly a one-man show. Here’s the story behind the smash success.

It started in the fall, despite the worsening pandemic. People on social media started sharing this outrageous photo of a double cheeseburger that looked almost too good to be real.

Chicago has its share of good burgers, but this one looked like every element had been taken to the extreme. Both patties were smashed until crisp and blackened around the edges, topped with heaps of caramelized onions, gooey American cheese, and a light-pink burger sauce. Bright red slices of tomato, crunchy lettuce and thick pickles were nestled underneath. It was capped with a bun that looked like it had more sesame seeds than Chicago has potholes.

This is the Chicago Secret Burger, a burger that seemingly everyone I know wants, yet few have tried. It’s only available Saturdays, and you have to enter a raffle to even get a shot at trying one.

The raffle takes place on the burger’s Instagram account, which features tantalizing shots of stacks upon stacks of burgers. It has amassed 10,500 followers since the pickup service began in March 2020, so getting a taste of the coveted dish is a long shot — but plenty seem content trying their luck week after week.

Turns out, the name isn’t an elaborate joke. It’s easy to assume this is some well-marketed ploy from a huge restaurant group, but no. It’s mostly a one-man operation from someone who not only shies away from fame and glory, but would only share his first name.

We caught up with this mysterious burger maven to see how he managed to capture the attention of Chicago’s burger fanatics.

Am I ruining Chicago Secret Burger by writing about it?

That’s the thing. Demand is already so high. Any more publicity will make it more. That’s my only hesitation. All these influencers keep emailing me asking to do a collaboration, which just means they want free food.

Can we know your name, or is that a secret, too?

I’m keeping with the whole secret profile. Let’s just go with Hector for now.

Are you going to open a restaurant, or are you enjoying it as is?

I’m taking it slow. This was an unexpected thing. I’ve never been in the restaurant industry. I worked in IT and retail before. I’m Mexican, so food is very important in our culture. My mom has always been a great cook. But we’ll see.

What gave you the idea for this project?

I started really getting into cooking a few years ago. I made a burger at home, and I thought I could make it better. I started making burgers for friends at barbecues. It’s grown from there. I was constantly making tweaks and improving it, with no intention of ever really selling it. I was just making it for my friends. When the pandemic happened, I needed a way to make money somehow.

You can get a burger almost anywhere. Were you worried no one would want to enter a raffle to try yours?

I wasn’t even expecting anyone to want to try it. I only told my friends. At first, I was trying to get 15 people to buy one. But friends posted about it. Then friends of friends posted about it. I used to just take orders, but now all the burgers would be gone instantly. I thought a raffle would be fair.

Has anyone gotten upset about the raffle?

Some people have offered me $200 to get one, because they didn’t get picked. I don’t feel comfortable doing that. I don’t want to owe anyone that. I like to keep it fair.

What burgers inspired you?

There are so many good burgers in Chicago, especially smash burgers, with places like Red Hot Ranch and The Loyalist. But I was also inspired by George Motz (author of “Hamburger America” and director of numerous burger videos). I suppose this burger is sort of like an In-N-Out burger mixed with an Oklahoma fried onion burger.

How many burgers do you cook on a typical Saturday?

It varies with the help I can get and weather conditions. But I shoot for 100.

How do you cook them all?

I don’t want to do them inside the house, because that would be crazy. I have a big Blackstone griddle to cook outside. It’s easier now that the weather is good. Mostly for the winter, it has been a one-man show, but I have friends who help me out, too.

What cut of beef do you use?

That’s also a secret. It’s all about the fat content. You need that to get a good sear. These are thin patties, so it’s more about the sear.

What’s one important part of the burger-making process that people forget?

Balance. It used to be the most popular burgers were super over-the-top with all those toppings. But we are going back to the simple style where each component is important. Sometimes people ask for substitutions (for my burger), but everything is made to go together. If you’re going to try the burger, you want it the way it should be presented.

Can there ever be too many sesame seeds on a bun?

I don’t think so. I did a lot of testing with different buns, but settled on this one. It’s a Big Marty’s Roll from Martin’s. You’ll see a lot of smash burgers using Martin’s.

What’s the highest compliment someone could give your burger?

When people compare it to burgers I like. When they bring up Red Hot Ranch, that’s always a huge compliment. Just the fact that people want to try it. At the end of the day, it’s a simple burger.

nkindelsperger@chicagotribune.com

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