Best of Burger Mackay winner Jackson’s Takeaway talks success

The winners of Matt Preston’s Best of Burgers competition open up about their success, and how they also carry their loss with them everyday.

Jackson's Takeaway owner Jess Jackson-Gee, winner of the Best of Burgers competition in Mackay. Picture: Lillian Watkins

The winner of the Matt Preston’s Best Burger competition went from serving schoolchildren comfort food to dishing up Mackay’s best burgers.

Jess Jackson-Gee and Michael Gee are, as voted by you, the very best in the art of burger-making.

The former Joseph’s Catholic Primary School tuckshop woman and her husband started Jackson’s Takeaway 18 months ago, naming it in tribute of her father, Stephen Jackson.

“My dad passed away when I was 25, he was on the other side of Australia so I didn’t get to see him or go to his funeral,” Mrs Jackson-Gee said.

She said her father took his own life 18 years ago.

“I miss him, but this place brings him here everyday,” Mrs Jackson-Gee said.

“I don’t think I could do it without him.”

Jackson’s Takeaway was named after owner Jess Jackson-Gee’s late father. Picture: Lillian Watkins

Mrs Jackson-Gee said it was terrifying when Covid-19 landed just months after opening their business in December 2019.

“We were really worried in the beginning,” the mum-of-five said.

“Because we were a young business, under 12 months old, we didn’t qualify for any government assistance.

“None of our staff could even get JobKeeper.”

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But when the government allowed takeaways, Mrs Jackson-Gee said business absolutely took off.

“I was working 18 hour days,” she said.

“We needed more stock, more produce, more everything just to keep up.”

The business has continued to flourish.

‘There’s no imported food, everything is local. It’s really important to us to keep the money in the community’: Jess Jackson-Gee. Picture: Lillian Watkins

Mrs Jackson-Gee said the secret ingredient to the shop’s tasty success was fresh, local produce.

“There’s no imported food,” she said.

“It’s really important to us to keep the money in the community.

“We get our bread and rolls fresh from Bushman’s every day, our rib fillets and mince from our Tender Cut Meat butcher across the road, and our produce from Mifsud’s, and our seafood from local fishermen.

“Our food wouldn’t taste as good without the quality of the local products we use.”

Originally published as Best of Burger Mackay winner Jackson’s Takeaway talks success