On The Up: Jett’s Burger Shop - Napier boy’s imagination brings restaurant to life

Napier 7-year-old Jett Simpson ran an imaginary restaurant in his bedroom using a toy kitchen.

It was perfect.

So his father Brad, in an act to make even the hardest of hearts melt, decided to make it into a real restaurant for his son.

Jett’s BuRGer Shop opened on Friday. It’s a pop-up in Brad’s real-life restaurant Roam Cafe, on Marine Pde.

When Hawke’s Bay Today went along to have a look, Brad said they’d had almost 150 people through.

“We had to turn away tables, because we’re completely packed.”

The launch drew a full house with almost 150 people packing into Roam for Jett's debut night. Photo / Rafaella Melo

He said the project began with his son’s natural curiosity about food and hospitality.

“I’ve been a chef forever, which my son sort of gravitated to… he started pretending he had his own business, called Jett’s BuRGer Shop,” Brad said.

“He has a little table, and he used to put flowers on the table and decorate his room as if it was a restaurant. And then he had a little menu, and he’d pretend to cook, and he’d be sort of shadowing and copying what he’d seen me do at work.

“He’s quite artistic, so he designed logos and even put a sign on his bedroom door that said, Jett’s BuRGer Shop at Roam.”

When Jett asked earlier this year if his burger shop could be real, Brad decided to blend his professional skills with Jett’s creativity to make it happen.

“He’s done all the art. Every drawing that you see is his. The logo font and menu font are his handwriting. So that’s why there’s capitals where capitals shouldn’t be.”

Jett and his dad, Brad Simpson, in the kitchen at Roam.

The father-and-son project includes collectible cards for children, created from Jett’s drawings.

“We’ve turned his food product drawings into characters, and so there’ll be a collectible card for kids to collect every week.

At the launch, Jett threw himself into the role.

“I’m handing out the cards which ran out and I was getting empty plates and stuff ... and talking to some people,” Jett said.

The menu is made up of things he loves, using locally sourced ingredients, including Matangi beef burgers, Nashville hot chicken, Kansas City-style pork, fish burgers, chicken nuggets, onion rings and playful desserts.

“My favourite is the beef burger,” Jett said.

The menu is made up of things Jett loves using locally sourced ingredients. Photo / Rafaella Melo

He said he was feeling “good and happy” about the project and would like to keep doing it.

Brad is nothing but proud.

“He did beyond what a 7-year-old should be confident doing.

“He hasn’t taken his Jett’s BuRGer Shop shirt off for about three days now.”

Although Jett won’t have a fulltime role, he will receive royalties for his contributions, which his parents will put into his savings.

Seven-year-old Jett Simpson's imaginary burger shop became reality on Friday night, with a full menu and collectible cards from his drawings. Photo / Rafaella Melo

“He wants to be there ... and he will show his face, but we need to make sure he’s still a kid ... I don’t really want a 7-year-old having a fulltime job,” Brad said.

“I want him to know the value of his ideas … whether he’s 7 or 27, that if he puts his mind to something he can do it, and we’ll be there to back him,” he said.

The burger nights run every Friday from 4.30pm to about 8.30pm, and Brad says they’ll keep it going “for as long as people keep showing up”.

“My goal is to have something that operates at night, that’s family-friendly, ingredients-focused and also is just a good spot off Marine Pde to take their kids.”

Rafaella Melo has over 10 years of experience as a journalist in Brazil. She has worn many hats, from radio and TV presenter and producer to magazine editor. She joined the Hawke’s Bay Today team in December as a multimedia journalist.