By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current

ROCKFORD — Sandra Pearson was mopping the floor in the sanctuary of her church when an idea struck her for what may be one of the biggest — or at least the tallest — burgers in town.

“I ran and told the secretary: I’m going to make this burger,” she said.

The Wammy Burger, the signature dish at Pearson’s new restaurant, is so tall that biting into the top and bottom buns at the same time seems designed for someone with the malleable jaws of a boa constrictor. The burger is stacked with shrimp, sautéed mushrooms and onions, bacon, Munster cheese and mild cheddar cheese. It also has pickle, red onion, tomato and lettuce.

“That burger just kind of took off,” said Pearson, a Rockford native. “From that burger other things came to me.”

That was early in 2020. Then, a few months later, the coronavirus pandemic took hold on the region and the church where Pearson worked as a custodian was forced to lay her off.

The setback had a silver lining, giving her time to focus on turning her creations in the kitchen into a full-time business. On Sunday, Pearson celebrated the grand opening of Wammy’s Kitchen, her new restaurant at 1222 S. Alpine Road, near Forest City Church.

After being laid off, Pearson started cooking in her home kitchen and doing makeshift curbside service to people in her neighborhood. In December, she learned space was available near Forest City Church and started working to open her restaurant.

She runs the business with Gail Richardson, her sister, who is the food service manager, and Joseph Pearson, her brother, who is the business manager.

Pearson, who eventually went back to work part-time, will retire after 21 years with Providence Baptist Church on Thursday. Then, she’ll focus on her business full time. Friends who’ve eaten her cooking for years say it was a move she was destined to make.

“Well before I knew her, she was cooking for family and friends,” said Jimmy White, a Rockford native who is friends with Terris, one of Pearson’s two adult children.

White, who now lives in the Chicago suburbs, stopped by Wammy’s Kitchen on Friday to support her new venture.

“Anybody can put together a recipe; recipes are all over the place,” he said. “That love and nurture that goes into cooking, you can’t really teach that. It’s something special that I think she does.”

Pearson started cooking in the kitchen at Providence Baptist Church at age 15. She eventually became the director of culinary staff for the church, she said. It was fried chicken she made at a young age that first got her recognition.

“Everybody loved the chicken so I was always the chicken fryer,” she said.

That still holds true today.

“Here is probably the best wings in town,” said Brandon Lutmer of Rockford, who ate there Friday. “Only comparable to maybe 15th & Chris.”

There are traditional barbecue wings and hot wings on the menu and a catfish fillet po’boy that Pearson expects will also be popular. Shrimp is prominent throughout the menu.

“The food is delicious,” Lutmer said. “Be patient. They’re still getting their legs underneath them, but it should be worth the wait.”

Pearson has been grateful for the early support and for the friends, fellow church parishioners and family members who encouraged her to pursue her own restaurant.

“It’s a blessing. It’s an amazing blessing. I feel like I’m on a journey and it’s something I need to do, and I’m going to succeed. I’m going to win.”

About | Wammy’s Kitchen

Where: 1222 S. Alpine Road, Rockford

Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday through Monday. Pearson plans to shift to seven days a week starting Sept. 13.

On the web: facebook.com/WammysKitchen

 

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rmgmwf.com or follow him on Twitter @KevinMHaas.