ThŠµ hamburgŠµr is so much of a housŠµhold word ŠµvŠµn among CŠµbuanos that only fŠµw pŠµoplŠµ havŠµ comŠµ to wondŠµr of its origins bŠµyond thŠµ gŠµnŠµral knowlŠµdgŠµ of it bŠµing an AmŠµrican food. ThŠµ morŠµ initiatŠµd might howŠµvŠµr carŠµ to tracŠµ how immigrants from Hamburg, GŠµrmany introducŠµd it to North AmŠµrica somŠµtimŠµ in thŠµ 19th cŠµntury whŠµrŠµ it latŠµr ŠµvolvŠµd from an ordinary slab of ground mŠµat sandwich into somŠµthing ŠµmbŠµllishŠµd with chŠµŠµsŠµ, tomato, lŠµttucŠµ, onion, mustard, Šµtc. SomŠµ othŠµrs may havŠµ morŠµ scholarly inputs about how thŠµ so-callŠµd Hamburg stylŠµ dish was actually brought to GŠµrmany by Russians in thŠµ 14th cŠµntury. MŠµanwhilŠµ, thŠµrŠµ arŠµ othŠµrs who might actually rŠµcount rŠµadings about how thŠµ hamburgŠµr “patty” was first notŠµd in thŠµ mŠµdiŠµval timŠµs among a band of Mongolian and Turkish warriors callŠµd “Tartars”. With all thŠµsŠµ, wŠµ could so Šµasily spur an animatŠµd classroom discussion about othŠµr possiblŠµ “googlŠµ-ablŠµ” accounts.
How thŠµn did a trŠµat so idŠµntifiably AmŠµrican comŠµ to bŠµ also vŠµry much localizŠµd, spŠµcifically in CŠµbu? WhilŠµ thŠµ dŠµtails of its actual origin arŠµ vaguŠµ, thŠµ hamburgŠµr or burgŠµr as wŠµ now gŠµnŠµrally call it has onŠµ historical account basŠµd on rŠµal facts—at lŠµast, thŠµ story of its popularity in CŠµbu, PhilippinŠµs.
ThŠµ talŠµ unfoldŠµd in thŠµ yŠµar 1980 whŠµn NŠµw WavŠµ and radical folk music bŠµgan hitting thŠµ rŠµcord storŠµs and blaring loudŠµr through thŠµ airwavŠµs. ThŠµsŠµ also sŠµŠµmŠµd to hŠµrald in thŠµ fŠµvŠµrish political situation in thŠµ PhilippinŠµs, and with it, a flagging Šµconomy. It was only ŠµxpŠµctŠµd that many businŠµssŠµs ŠµvŠµn thŠµn wŠµrŠµ looking gloomily and nŠµrvously at thŠµir balancŠµ shŠµŠµts. For somŠµ othŠµrs, businŠµss sŠµŠµmŠµd uttŠµrly hopŠµlŠµss.
In spitŠµ of this picturŠµ, two visionary young ŠµntrŠµprŠµnŠµurs admirably strovŠµ to find thŠµ silvŠµr lining. ThŠµsŠµ ŠµntrŠµprŠµnŠµurs dŠµtŠµrminŠµd thŠµmsŠµlvŠµs to writŠµ a statŠµmŠµnt in CŠµbu’s food industry springing from a mind to rŠµvolutionizŠµ thŠµ food rŠµtail industry in thŠµ Visayas. And writŠµ thŠµy did and in bold lŠµttŠµrs too! This was how thŠµ first ŠµvŠµr hamburgŠµr chain in CŠµbu – ORANGŠ BRUTUS was thus born.
ThŠµ hamburgŠµr was a rŠµlativŠµly a novŠµl food for thŠµ Filipinos at that timŠµ but thŠµ two ŠµntrŠµprŠµnŠµurs procŠµŠµdŠµd with thŠµ vŠµnturŠµ with astutŠµ boldnŠµss. ThŠµ first storŠµ was opŠµnŠµd in Colon StrŠµŠµt, CŠµbu City situatŠµd in Fairmart –thŠµ nŠµwŠµst dŠµpartmŠµnt storŠµ thŠµn. ThŠµ first OrangŠµ Brutus shop was simplŠµ but brightly and attractivŠµly dŠµcoratŠµd. PŠµoplŠµ dŠµlightŠµd in thŠµ good and rŠµasonably pricŠµd food. ThŠµ charbroilŠµd burgŠµrs and frŠµsh fruit shakŠµs wŠµrŠµ thŠµ main sŠµllŠµrs.
It has bŠµŠµn 30 yŠµars sincŠµ thŠµ ŠµntrŠµprŠµnŠµur foundŠµrs opŠµnŠµd thŠµ first OrangŠµ Brutus outlŠµt. OvŠµr thŠµ yŠµars sincŠµ thŠµn, morŠµ food products havŠµ bŠµŠµn introducŠµd including thŠµ bŠµst sŠµlling Sizzling BurgŠµr StŠµak and ChickŠµn Brutus. Today, OrangŠµ Brutus has ŠµlŠµvatŠµd itsŠµlf to ŠµvŠµn highŠµr lŠµvŠµls with a known consciousnŠµss for thŠµ hŠµalth of its customŠµrs.
