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The name Steve Lawrence might not automatically spring to mind when pondering the culinary greats of our county.
But he's the man who, within just months of opening – and during a global pandemic, no less – found his new burger joint topping the list of Kent's best-rated restaurants on Tripadvisor.
Please Sir! in Broadstairs is even above the likes of Stark, which is just around the corner and boasts a Bib Gourmand from Michelin.
Amazingly, Steve doesn't have a background in food, making his rise even more remarkable.
Yet when you meet him, any doubt as to how his restaurant became an overnight success will vanish.
He comes across as determined, unapologetically tenacious and big-hearted, with a bit of Thanet geezer thrown in.
And the gravelly-voiced entrepreneur pulls no punches when it comes to discussing his success in a county with such a strong restaurant game.
"I've always been a dreamer and I've always been that person saying 'I'll do this, I'll do that', but I've got ADHD so I am 100mph all the time," he said.
"I'm the person that puts the cornflakes in the fridge and milk in the cupboard just because my brain has already moved onto something else.
"I have idea after idea but Please Sir! was the first one I put to paper, and because of my ADHD I wanted to be the best. I want that attention."
Within four weeks of opening last year, predominantly selling sandwiches, he was already making waves with customers returning to sample his frequently-changing menu and "top drawer" food.
But with lockdown imminent, knowing he needed to launch a delivery service, he started looking at what more he could do. And with his Saturday special burger already proving a hit, it was obvious.
'We only had one grill but it was constant orders and now we sell about 1,500 burgers a week. It's mad.'
"It was just a standard classic cheeseburger but people loved it and I thought 'burgers kind of work'," he recalls.
So, with just one grill at the back, he launched a family feast meal deal which went crazy.
"I'm under no illusion, if it wasn't for that lockdown then I probably wouldn't have changed from sandwiches to burgers," he admits.
"We only had one grill but it was constant orders and now we sell about 1,500 burgers a week. It's mad."
Starting out with just one type, he kept being asked "what else have you got?" so tried his hand at another.
"I made another burger, bit into it and said 'it's unbelievable', and so that's what it's called – the Unbelievable. Before you knew it, I had all these burgers, and each one has a story behind them."
Out of his 226 reviews on Tripadvisor, almost all are five stars, with many proclaiming Please Sir! to serve the best burgers they have ever eaten.
Despite his unprecedented success, Steve's previous employment gives no hint of what he would become today.
An aircraft handler in the Navy, he also qualified as an aviation firefighter, although he insists he's a salesman at heart.
"That's what I am and I'm very good at it," he said
"This isn't food – this is the biggest sales pitch of my life."
It's not all been plain sailing though for Steve, who says he hasn't always been the person he is now and at one point was in a dark place.
"I was given an opportunity to change my life and change my mindset," he says.
"I was on a hamster wheel for a very long time thinking what's the point of getting off if I'm just going to get back on?
"But actually if you start opening your eyes and seeing that things are a sign and a test, that can help change your mindset and give you the ability to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
"The struggles we face are there to test us to see if we're truly committed to the life we want.
"You've got to believe – the power of belief is phenomenal.
"I can pinpoint moments in my life, or certainly within the last four years, when I became who I am now, and what I do know is I'm about to become something amazing.
"I know that sounds bad, but I believe it, and not in a cocky 'I'm going to be a millionaire' kind of way – I don't believe that. I believe I'm going to be a better version of what I was yesterday."
At this point he laughs: "That was a bit deep wasn't it?"
'There are children that tell you they don’t feel the cold but truth is they don’t have a coat.'
Steve's experience, however, has clearly shaped who he is now, and he says he is determined to give others the same opportunities bestowed to him.
Last year, he raised £600 for homeless people at the Thanet Winter Shelter, but insisted the money went towards Christmas presents for each individual.
This year, his focus is on disadvantaged families and children with his campaign Please Sir! Let's Give Some More.
"There are children in our local schools who no doubt leave home each morning with no breakfast only to go home with no hope of dinner," he said.
"There are children that carry carrier bags as parents simply can’t afford rucksacks.
"There are children that tell you they don’t feel the cold but truth is they don’t have a coat.
"And there are children that depend solely on what the school provides, but during a holiday time such as Christmas will be left with very little."
In an attempt to help those who need it most, Steve has launched a three-pronged campaign to not only give children a brighter festive season, but take the pressure off families.
He has set up a 'post for likes' on Facebook, where he is donating money for every like he gets, matched by another business owner, and this will go towards trainers, jackets and other clothing for children at 10 schools in receipt of pupil premium – funding given to disadvantaged youngsters.
He has also launched a Go Fund Me page with the aim of raising £2,000 to be split between 10 families in need to go towards household bills.
Steve Lawrence talks about the Christmas appeal
And a giving tree has been put up in Please Sir!, with people donating gifts for deprived children in Thanet.
Other businesses have also got involved to help put together hampers and offer experiences to bring some happiness to those who need it.
"I've got a lot to be grateful for with my background and so I want to take the weight off others," Steve said.
"You know, we see it here. We'll have five students come in from the college and only four of them will eat and the other one doesn't because he's not hungry.
"I think 'don't give me that, you can't afford it and it's not because it's expensive, it's because you're on the breadline'. So we 'accidentally' cook a burger or some chips, say we made too much. We don't let them know we know.
"We've also got forever rising rents, the wages don't match. There are situations where mum's terminally ill, dad has lost his job because he needs to take care of her and the kids.
"There are some really dark circumstances people are living so if we can just give them 12 days of Christmas that they can enjoy, then let's do that.
"Let's pay for the gas, electric or water, so they don't have to think about it. They can spend the money on the kids or go somewhere nice.
"I'm not doing this for coverage so I can sell more burgers. I can't sell any more than I can make. It's not about that.
"This is about getting people to take notice and think 'you know what, I'm going to help'."
See www.facebook.com/pleasesir1 to like the post and click here to donate to the Go Fund Me page.
To see what our KentOnline reviewer made of Please Sir! click here.
