American classics come to Byron

He has worked in kitchens everywhere from Texas to Louisiana – and now Reece White is bringing his love of American classics to Byron Bay.

The Main Street Burger Bar head chef was born in Adelaide but began his career in British Columbia in Canada’s Rocky Mountains, where he learned Tex Mex and other North American cooking styles, in 2007.

“The chefs in BC also cooked classic Cajun and Creole food from New Orleans and Louisiana which they trained me in also, so I have a real connection to American-style cooking and food,” he said.

“One of my first jobs in the kitchen was cooking fried chicken from a family recipe of the owner of a restaurant in New Orleans who was from North Carolina, and I did this every day for four years.”

White has loved bringing these influences to the menu at Main Street Burger Bar.

“Our smash burgers are an ode to that,” he said. “Smash burgers were originally created during the Great Depression, when mixing meat with onions stretched the meat quantities into more burgers, allowing for lower costs to restaurants.

“The cheeseburger is obviously Californian in origin, with the American cheese invented during the war as a way to stretch the cheese to allow for more rations.”

White moved to the Northern Rivers region two years ago to open Boucan Diner in Lennox Head, but when an opportunity came up at Main Street Burger Bar he jumped at the chance.

“We offer unique flavours, locally-sourced ingredients and a personalised experience that large chains typically can’t match,” he said. “We also contribute to the local economy by supporting nearby suppliers.

“We use fresh local beef from SEQ Global – a blend of brisket and beef rib – and our burgers are cooked by real chefs.”

White said the individuality of an independent burger bar resonated with Byron Bay’s reputation for sustainability, creativity, and community-driven businesses.American classics Byron Bay

“It allows us to experiment with the menu and give customers a distinctive experience they can’t find in a standard chain.”