The chef behind Toronto's best burger house has reunited with his legendary New York mentor

Many people go on vacation to New York City, enjoy the bright lights of Times Square, or lose themselves in the music of a Broadway show. But Toronto hamburger chef Greg Bourolias was on a more specific mission.

Owner of Burger Drops, a thriving burger joint in Liberty Village, Bourolias traveled all the way to the Big Apple in January to revisit the humble diner's roots.

It was a hunt for culinary inspiration, but most of all, the 33-year-old tried to remember why he got into the burger business.

Passion. Simplicity. quality. All of this led him to meet his dear friend and longtime mentor, George Motz.

With salty and peppery flavors and more than 180,000 Instagram followers, the Long Island native is a titan of the burger industry. Not only is Motz a grill ninja, he's a hamburger historian, author, filmmaker, and one of Burolia's brightest inspirations.

“He's obsessive,” Bourolias told blogTO, describing Motz. “There's a level of passion to really understand the real reason behind those things — why we have to do it this way and do it in a way that makes the most money — I think that's what I'm most impressed with.”

The launch of Hamburger America, Motz's new restaurant in SoHo, prompted the latest hangout. Bourolias absorbed more wisdom from his idol and observed what the “authentic burger experience” looks like.

Motz's fingerprints are also on the creation of Bourolias' hamburger bistro in Toronto. Before the pandemic, when Burger Drops pop-ups were tucked under rooftops and in back alleys, Bourolias made enough noise to attract international attention, including Motz.

The duo messaged back and forth on Instagram, and Bourolias convinced Motz to make the trip to Toronto in 2019.

Two burger brothers cooked up more than 1,000 patties in four hours at one of their Burger Drops pop-ups. It was at this point that Bourolias, standing shoulder to shoulder with a grilling legend, recognized a great opportunity.

“That's the first time I decided (Burger Drops) was going to be a business,” Bourolias said. “It gave me perspective on the ground we covered as a small company…I could see it all firsthand. It's not a dream anymore.”

Bourolias and his wife Kathryn's bar team have since made Burger Drops a mainstay of Toronto's culinary community.

Nowadays, burger-craving locals can focus on the restaurant's catering services. Burger Drops recently invested in a trailer and there are hopes for new burger-based block parties as the weather warms.

All of this growth begs the question: Is it time for Burger Drops to expand? Bourolias is constantly being asked about new locations, but he's not ready to pull the trigger.

For him, patience is invaluable. In Toronto, restaurant-goers crave simple dishes—burgers, soups, sandwiches—with extravagant ingredients, especially as the city finds its culinary identity.

So, when the time comes, Burger Drops can expand. But only if Bourolias is confident that he can maintain the same culture, integrity and delicious charred flavor in future Toronto locations.

“I'd rather build on cement than sand,” Bourolias said.