Young entrepreneur Will Burrell has big plans and an even bigger heart.
On May 31, Will’s Smashburgers will open its doors, inside Center Cuts Gourmet Butcher (11155 Main Road, Mattituck, 631-298-2200), serving up the sizzling summer staple with signature sauces and good vibes.
What sets Burrell’s endeavor apart from others is that every burger is served with a positive message, to help combat mental health struggles.
“Mental health is very personal to me, and I want to raise awareness,” says Burrell. “That’s why I do the handwritten notes on each bag, something as simple as saying ‘Have a great day,’ or one of my favorite ones is ‘You’ve conquered a hundred percent of your hard days,’ just reminders to keep going and that you’re loved.”
But the good will goes beyond the positive vibes. At the beginning of 2025, the 17-year-old junior at Brunswick School in Greenwich, Conn., started his own events and catering company named Will Burrell Events. Since the business’s creation, Burrell has run a food truck for four different events, donating a portion of his profits to the Gary Sinise Foundation, the not-for-profit that supports families of fallen military and first responders.
At one event alone, Burrell raised $1,500. He plans to continue supporting the foundation with a portion of the new summer pop-up’s profits.
Burrell’s attachment to the North Fork started in childhood, spending summers at his family’s home in Jamesport. At 14 years old, he got a seasonal job at Center Cuts forming burgers, packaging meat and helping customers — all the while, creating connections to start his savvy spot, under a DBA.
He approached his former boss, Center Cuts owner Justin Aranoff, with the his idea, and the two decided to give the burgers-in-a-butcher-shop concept a go.
“It’s just a win-win,” says Burrell. “You get customers coming in for me, then they buy a steak and vice versa.”
He’s provided another extra bonus to Center Cuts, too, having purchased picnic tables for Will’s Smashburgers and the butcher shop to share.
Burrell will be serving all-beef smashburgers, with or without American cheese, at $9 for a single patty and $12 for a double, along with standard burger toppings. There’s also a special savory-sweet onion jam to slather on your burger as an extra option for his hungry customers, too.
Through the process of flipping and searing all summer long, he hopes to get to know the ins and outs of the food business.
“I’m learning how to deal with taxes, I’m learning how to deal with people,” he says. “I’ve created an LLC. It’s giving me a head start on what I want to do eventually.”
Next year, he plans on pursuing a hospitality degree and later moving onto real estate development.
“I have a very specific plan,” says Burrell.
Will’s Smashburgers will be serving in Center Cuts Wednesday and Thursday, noon to 5 p.m., and Fridays noon to 6 p.m.
