CULVER CITY, THE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE FORD’S FILLING STATION IS LOCATED, IS A TRENDY PLACE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO MOVE. THERE ARE STILL PLENTY OF OLD-TIMERS LEFT, SO CULVER CITY IS A REAL MULTI-GENERATIONAL MIX, WITH A TOUCH OF MAYBERRY.
It’s a tight-knit community, where people look for excuses to get together. The result: lots and lots of block parties. They’ll shut down the street for something as small as a kid’s birthday party. Fourth of July—forget about it. There are so many block parties it’s hard to drive home.
The City itself hosts a block party every month to help support local business, so every month my kitchen guys and I drag our smoker or a big grill out onto the patio in front of the restaurant. I hire a band—usually bluegrass music or something else with a down-home feeling. And I either barbecue pork or grill burgers.
This grilled burger feast is my ode to Culver City, to block parties, and to neighborhoods in general. I like to give people options, so in this feast I serve burgers and bratwursts. The side dishes are nostalgic, but taken to the next level. And for dessert, ice cream sandwiches, which you can make in advance, so once you’re relieved of grill duty, you can join the party.
The amount of equipment you need depends on how many you’re cooking for, but it’s all specified below.
One or two 7-foot grills (each grill will accommodate burgers for 50 people), or twice as many kettle grills
Eight 15.7-pound bags mesquite natural lump charcoal for each grill (less if you’re using kettle grills)
2 charcoal chimneys for each catering grill or 1 for each kettle grill
Meat grinder or stand mixer with a meat grinder attachment and small and large dies if you are grinding your own meat and/or making your bratwurst
Sausage stuffer if you are making your bratwurst
4 to 5 large baking sheets