Hamburger aficionados across Houston have been clamoring for a taste of what Justin Turner is serving up. What started as a yellow school bus converted into a food truck, Bernie’s Burger Bus has become four brick and mortar restaurants and been named to just about every top 10 list around.

Justin Turner started his culinary journey in 2010 making burgers on his famous yellow bus and quickly gained popularity because of his top-quality products and innovative menu items. His collegiate-themed menu is fun and has specials like the Lobster Friday that have everyone coming back for more.

“At the time I started the lobster roll, it was something I felt I could do every once in a while, to showcase that our culinary-driven burger food truck (or bus I really should say) wasn’t this one-trick pony,” said Turner. “I put a sign on the side of the bus that said Lobster Friday for a couple weeks to promote it, and it took off! It has now been a thing for six out of the eight years we have been in business.”

Turner’s fourth location just opened up in the southwest part of the city, so Houstonians everywhere have access to Bernie’s great burgers and there might be even more locations on the horizon. “As with every other location I try to focus on the task at hand so I haven’t currently thought about what’s next for Bernie’s, but I’m sure I’ll get the itch once we get open and are serving tasty food to the people down in Sienna Plantation and Sugar Land,” said Turner.

Along with Lobster Fridays and decadent burgers, guests can look forward to fresh baked buns, handcrafted milk shakes and scratch-made condiments.

We sat down with this notable Texan to find out what he never leaves home without – also known as his Texas Essentials.

Computer and phone:

No explanation needed – complete necessities.

To-Do list:

What can I say? I like to stay focused.

Organizational supplies:

Plenty of pens, Sharpies and highlighters, as well as Post-it Notes so I’m always prepared and can stay organized.

AirPods:

They help to keep my hands free to work during meetings, conference calls and voice texting.

Breath spray:

One of the benefits and essential pieces of my job is always tasting dishes in the restaurants to ensure the quality of the product. I am a huge fan of garlic, which means I always like to keep a little breath spray around so my customers and staff don’t have to deal with my constant garlic breath.

Cover photo courtesy Kimberly Park

Gabi De la Rosa lives in Houston with her husband and three children. You can usually find her at a great local restaurant or out exploring HTX with her family. Visit her on Instagram @gabioftheroses_htx