Wahlburgers S3, E1 Recap: Red Sox Star David Ortiz Creates 'Big Papi Burger'

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The famous burger chain brought to you by none other than the Wahlberg brothers (Mark Wahlberg, Paul Wahlberg and Donnie Wahlberg) are back for a third season of their hit show Wahlburgers" with a January 7, 2015 premiere at 10 p.m.

on A&E.

To get back in the groove, the Wahlburgs cook for Boston sports super stars David Ortiz and Rajon Rando.

On the premiere episode of this season, Chef Paul Wahlberg teams up with legendary Red Sox player David Ortiz--best known as "Big Papi"--to create the Big Papi Burger of the month.

However, fears of a new pre-game burger bite throwing off his performance are very real.

This premiere episode opens with the family discussing the deep seeded belief in superstitions of a native Bostonian (see: Curse of the Bambino).

They each rag on Paul a bit, calling him the jinx in the family, and he is decidedly the most superstitious.

When it comes to baseball players, he talks about how they perform very specific rituals to keep them in the right mind before the game.

For the Burger of the Month, Paul is going to visit Red Sox star player David Ortiz (Big Papi) at his home to invent the most delicious burger ever made, for sure.

"He is the heart and soul of Boston Red Sox," Paul said.

So he shows up in Papi's kitchen with peppers, onions, and a whole manner of delicious things in tow. "I've been looking up a cherry burger, which is very Dominican," Paul said.

He fried it up, drizzled it with Worcestershire sauce, some special sauce, and pile of crispy onions, praying he didn't screw it up. Naturally, Ortiz loved it, though he needed to add a little sauce to it.

"I know I'm gonna hit good tonight," Ortiz said. "Can we do this tomorrow again?"
"He hits good every night, so I don't know why it'd matter,"

As it turns out, Papi felt that he played a lot better after eating the new "Big Papi Burger," and requested Paul to make him another one the next day.

Paul and Kari, his assistant and operations manager, head over to Papi's house to deliver another burger.

Papi was SO excited for his burger, and hoped the epic chowdown becomes an every day affair. Paul said he needs to take the time to figure out a plan around this, because "what Big Papi wants, Big Papi gets."

It was a sportsy kinda day at Wahlburgers, and former Boston Celtics player Rajon Rando came into the restaurant after he heard about the Big Papi Burger.

"I think I might put this in my pregame ritual," Rando said (in what was definitely not a reality television situation-based script), and requested a "Rando Burger" from Paul.

Meanwhile, Big Papi didn't get a hit in the game the previous night, and it's probably because Paul didn't make him a "Big Papi" burger.

Goddamnit, Paul. So Paul has his work cut out for him, creating a new burger inspired for Rando, and keeping the "Curse of the Bambino: Round Two" at bay.

Paul rushed over to Big Papi's house to drop off the burger, asking what happened.

"Was the burger ok?" he asked. "You didn't do too well last night." Papi just looked at him, and said, "C'mon man, you had nothing to do with that! You're too superstitious."

About Wahlburgers

via aetv.com

"Wahlburgers" goes behind-the-scenes of one of Boston's most well-known families, the Wahlbergs.

Brothers Mark, Donnie and Paul join forces to embark on a hometown-based business venture, a hamburger restaurant that touts the family name.

An homage to their humble beginnings, the restaurant is home base for the gang from the old neighborhood, including Mark's sidekicks, the real Johnny "Drama" and Henry "Nacho" Laun, Paul's trusty assistant Kari Burke and of course, the matriarch of the Wahlberg family, their spirited mother Alma.