Burger Bombs Have Been a Hit for The Rolling Stoves Food Truck

We love the lacy-edged smashburgers from Doublewide and the one-of-a-kind shrimp burgers from Shrimp Daddy but another Denver food truck recently launched its own creative take on an American classic: Burger Bombs. They are the new star on the menu at the Rolling Stoves, which Jesse Williams launched in 2021.

After spending fourteen and a half years in prison, Williams emerged with a renewed sense of purpose, a deep passion for food, and a fierce determination to build something of his own.

Born and raised in Lakewood, Williams was immersed in the food world from a young age. "Before my prison sentence, I worked at a lot of different restaurants like Maggiano's and the Fox chain restaurants. I was always in the kitchen," he recalls. "My mom was a waitress at McCoy's, so I've been around food my whole life."

While that early exposure the restaurant industry laid the foundation for his passion, it wasn't until he served time that he realized it was a calling. "While I was in prison, I worked in the kitchen the majority of my time, and I just enjoyed it. ... I just became a foodie. I would always get the Food Network magazine sent to me and anytime I could, I would watch the Food Network," Williams says.

As his prison sentence neared its end, Williams met his wife and their connection sparked a sense of direction and hope. "She motivated me to want to just do better," he says. "She went to college, she's got her master's, she did her own thing. So I was like, I gotta step up my game. ... My goals when I got out, like in the first year — which were kind of not realistic — were to buy a house and start a company. And I did all that within the first nine months."
His first step was finding a job, but securing employment with a criminal record can be challenging. "I was trying to find a union job because once you're in, it's hard to go anywhere," Williams explains, which is how he landed at Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers & Grain Millers Local #26 where he continues to work now.

He recalls scrolling through Facebook and noticing food trailers repeatedly popping up in his feed. Feeling inspired, he decided to go all in, investing the money his dad left him after he passed into his food truck dream.

The name is an homage to his father. "My dad was a huge Rolling Stones fan, and he was on a bowling team right before he passed called the Bowling Stones. ... When I started to figure out a name for the LLC, I typed in 'the Rolling Stoves,' and I just remember seeing the green check mark on the website, so I ran with it," Williams says.

Since hitting the streets in April 2021, the Rolling Stoves has evolved multiple times. From gourmet hotdogs wrapped in bacon to Monte Cristo-inspired fried chicken sandwiches, Williams has served up a variety of creative dishes. But his latest concept, which launched six weeks ago, is the one he believes is here to stay.

The idea for Burger Bombs emerged from a friend's trip to the UK. "He took pictures in front of a restaurant with these hot sandwiches and I just got curious," Williams says. "I researched it in the U.S. and there was nothing like it" — though he did discover that they are big in Japan, where they are called Anime Burgers or UFO Burgers. "So, I figured out where to buy the machine to press them, and then I just decided to put them out. ... It's inside of a 6-inch pastry bun, and you basically stuff it full of ground beef, vegetables, different sauces and cheeses, whatever you want. Then you seal it with a reverse waffle press, and it creates a little UFO. It's like a savory Uncrustable."
There are now ten Burger Bombs on the menu. Options include the Fiery Nacho stuffed with fire-roasted jalapenos, cheese and ranch then smothered in cheese sauce, Flamin' Hot Cheeto dust and a drizzle of more ranch; and the Cowboy Chili packed with hearty red chili, fire-roasted jalapenos, cheese sauce and crunchy tortilla strips. Of course, there's a green chile Burger Bomb, too, and any Burger Bomb can be made with an Impossible patty. The truck also offers breakfast and dessert-style Bombs.

The new menu has been a hit. "I went from having like $3,000 weeks to having like $15,000 weeks," Williams says. While burger bombs are here to stay, he's already planning to introduce another innovative offering under a concept called Suburban Wiener. "We take a french baguette, cut it in half, and put it upside down on a vertical toaster, which creates a little hole through the center. Then we fill it with all the same ingredients here, shove a hot dog inside, and put it in a 16-ounce cup so you can hold it and eat it mess-free. As soon as the toasters arrive from overseas, we are going to roll them out," he explains.

Williams has overcome many challenges to build his thriving food business, turning his struggles into motivation along the way — not just for himself but for others, too. "What we pride ourselves on is that everyone who works on this truck is in recovery," he says, highlighting his commitment to providing a supportive work environment for those looking to rebuild their lives.

Last September, Williams and his wife were seriously injured in a motorcycle accident — doctors are still considering the possibility of amputating his leg after multiple surgeries. But he still refuses to slow down. Instead, he's pushing forward with plans to launch a second Rolling Stoves truck in San Antonio, Texas with a halal-focused menu to cater to the city's large Muslim population. No matter what setbacks he's faced, Williams proves that with resilience, determination and a little creativity, anything is possible.

To follow his journey and snag a Burger Bomb, follow @therollingstoves.colorado on Instagram and visit therollingstovesdenver.com for the truck's schedule.