Burger Brilliance - by Lee E Wells (Paperback)

About the Book

The culture of the highly successful Wells Burgers. The innovation behind what many call the best burger they have ever eaten. True servant customer care, with the imagination required to create one of the most unique menus anywhere

Book Synopsis

This book explores the journey and culture of the highly successful business practices of Wells Cattle Co., located in Rockwall, TX. On these pages you will discover the innovation behind what many label as the best burger they have ever eaten. You will find insight into true servant customer care, along with the imagination required to create one of the most unique menus anywhere in the world.

Innovation: I grew up with amazing ground beef. It was clean beef that was free of chemicals or hormones. Made from the entire side of beef deboned and ground together, it included the steaks and prime cuts, unlike other ground beef. Even when critics said it could not be done, I sold my first cow before I could get it to the processor. It has been an amazing ride!

Insight: Just because I own a restaurant does not mean it belongs to me. That may be a shocking statement, but it is true. My restaurant belongs to every customer who chooses to spend their hard-earned money with us. I am humbled by the success we have seen in the time we have been serving our community. We have won almost every award given for burgers in our area, and we do not take a single accolade lightly.

Imagination: One night I started creating burger ideas on my laptop. There was the Western Burger with our house-made barbeque sauce.... and a Mushroom Swiss. Then some crazy ideas started coming to mind like a German Burger with sauerkraut.... The list quickly grew to twelve burgers, ending up with an outrageous Brunch Burger built on waffles with syrup drizzled on the beef patty. Additionally, we are the only restaurant in town to serve farm-to-table Wagyu hot dogs. We offer standards like Chicago style, backyard, and even a few topped with a fried egg. We even have a dog with our peanut butter sauce, grape jelly, green chiles, and bacon. There is no lack of imagination!

Review Quotes

I truly enjoyed this book! I felt as if Lee were writing the book to me personally, expressing many of the same feelings we share in the restaurant business. He touched upon the two most important elements in the business that are not discussed enough, culture and restaurant image. I hope customers of the restaurant industry can grasp an idea of how much sweat, work, and tears go into the operation of a restaurant. I truly believe that a wholesale change may be needed in the restaurant industry and love that Lee lays out a plan to begin this process. I'm thoroughly impressed!

- Kevin Lefere, Partner & Head Chef, Zanata

Simply put, this book is for everyone. You can use the following pages to activate memories, to remind you of good business practices, to motivate you to do better, or to simply read a story about one very driven and successful business owner. This is Lee's story, and you should read it.

- Jimmy Niwa, Owner, Niwa Japanese BBQ

What can you learn from a cowboy that runs a burger joint? Nothing much, right? You'd be wrong! Wells captures the highs and lows of operating a highly successful business in one of the most difficult industries in which to succeed. He provides a glimpse into the inspiration, vision, creation, and continued evolution of his restaurant.

- Kevin Fowler, Sr. VP, Independent Financial, Former Mayor, City of Rockwall, Texas

I loved this book. The lessons and takeaways it offers transcend the food and beverage world, with relevance to anything in which quality and excellence are a priority. It's a refreshing slice of Americana, full of concentrated and valuable content that is easily digestible and enjoyable. I can honestly speak very highly of this book, The Wells Cattle Co. restaurant and the food it consistently serves, and, of course, Lee.

- Brian Adams, Sr. VP, Food & Beverage Advisory, JLL

Lee is one of the few genuine and authentic men I know. He is hardworking and intelligent, with a heart to help everyone he can in order to share the blessings, knowledge, and wisdom he has learned from life experiences, as well as his family legacy. Lee is a cattle rancher, restaurant owner, and entrepreneur, as well as a man of deep faith. This book will teach you, encourage you, and inspire you to take a leap of faith. Wow! You'll want to step up and achieve your goals, dreams, and aspirations!

- Phillip Hatfield, Zig Ziglar Business Consultant & Keynote Speaker