Squished into a back corner of the bustling, fluorescent-lit kitchen at Mustache Bill's Diner, Bill Smith looked liked one of the crew. The 58-year-old -- glasses perched at the end of his nose -- was busy fashioning 1/3 pound burger patties from the 20-pound mountain of ground beef in front of him.

"You can fall into this complacent belief, 'Oh, it's just a hamburger,'" Smith said above the kitchen din. "But it's somebody's hamburger. It's somebody's meal. You've got to get into this head trip; each burger's important. That's where you get your consistency."

That consistency has earned Smith, owner of the classic 1950s diner in Barnegat Light, a spot in food industry legend. Mustache Bill's, which opened as Joe's Barnegat Light Diner 50 years ago, is one of five restaurants nationwide this year to receive an "America's Classics" award from the James Beard Foundation.

The foundation's annual awards, in a variety of categories, are regarded as the Oscars of the food industry. The foundation is named after the late chef and cookbook author who was known as "The Father of American Gastronomy."

The 90-seat diner, with its terrazzo floor and pale green Naugahyde booths, is also the first diner to receive an America's Classics award in the 12 years they have been presented. That comes as good news to diner lovers in New Jersey -- with nearly 600 diners, the diner capital of the world -- and to historian Richard J.S. Gutman, who says diners get a bad rap in culinary circles.

"The award is a big deal," said Gutman, director and curator of the Culinary Arts Museum at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, R.I., and author of "American Diner Then and Now."

"It's unfortunate that the diner doesn't get the respect it deserves," Gutman added. "They're all things to all people."

Smith, who said he is "flabbergasted" by the honor, will accept it at a black-tie ceremony co-hosted by Emeril Lagasse at Lincoln Center Monday night. It will be the second time Smith will wear a tuxedo in his life.

"The first time was my prom," the Barnegat Light resident said, laughing. "I didn't even wear one for my wedding. We eloped."

According to the award citation, diner food is "all too often of poor to middling quality. But not at Mustache Bill's. For over 35 years, owner Bill Smith has made everything from scratch -- refusing to buy anything premade. It's the homemade, straight from the heart cooking that makes Mustache Bill's a must-stop destination on the Jersey Shore."

Susan Ungaro, president of the James Beard Foundation, said the America's Classics award goes to "down-home food establishments that feature good old-fashioned American cooking. The winners are a very special group. James Beard would have loved them."

The America's Classics award started in 1998, when Doris and Ed's Restaurant in Highlands was among the first group of winners. The White House Sub Shop in Atlantic City won in 2000. Other restaurants to receive the award include Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington, D.C., and the Oyster Bar at Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Totonno's pizzeria on Coney Island is one of five honorees this year.

"I don't like gourmet cooking or 'this' cooking or 'that' cooking," Beard once said. "I like good cooking."

Smith's story, meanwhile, is the classic American rags-to-modest-riches saga. He was just 12 when he started as a dishwasher at Joe's Barnegat Light Diner. The Long Beach Island eatery opened on May 9, 1959, when hamburgers and coffee were served free from 2 to 5 p.m., and a turkey platter cost $1. Smith, who has sported a mustache since senior year of high school, bought the diner in 1972. Among the more popular items today are the New England clam chowder, roasted hot turkey and omelets.

Smith's wife, Debbie, a former flight attendant for National Airlines who is now the hostess/cashier at Mustache Bill's, said she was "delighted, surprised, honored, tickled pink" by the award.

"For 38 years, he's kept the quality of the food up," Debbie Smith explained. "That's what makes him who he is. Lots of people work that long, they get tired. It's like your fifth kid -- 'stay out as long as you want.'"

To Bill Smith, the key is consistency -- and using fresh, high-quality ingredients.

"I can buy burger meat 70 cents a pound cheaper," he said. "Someone might say, who's going to notice? Well, someone's going to notice. It's what you buy and how you use it that make a good diner."

Smith moved on to his next task -- making meat loaf. Behind him, on the freezer door, were various kitchen must-dos, scrawled on a cardboard box lid:

Steamer empty?

Turkeys out?

Grills off?

Sausage defrosted?

"I remember the old days," said Smith, suddenly nostalgic, "when people ordered flubby bacon."

That's diner speak for lightly cooked bacon.

Among the diner's regulars is Mike Forgione, who had his 1929 Ford Model A pickup parked outside.

"It's great," the Barnegat Light resident said of Smith's award. "He's a good man, and a talented one."

Mary Ann and Bob Richardson, also of Barnegat Light, eat breakfast at Mustache Bill's once a week.

"We like the company, the owner, the waitresses," Mary Ann Richardson said. "Makes you feel like you belong."

Originally posted online here: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/05/barnegat_light_diner_named_an.html