Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) is a

restaurant A restaurant is a business that prepares and serves food and drinks to customers. Meals are generally served and eaten on the premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services. Restaurants vary greatly in appearan ...

chain in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

and

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

specialising in gourmet burgers. There is a subtle Kiwi theme throughout the restaurants, a reference to the heritage of the original owners.

History

The company was started in London by

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...

ers Adam Wills, Greg Driscoll, Brandon Allen and

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The ...

n Kalimali Moses, in 2001. Chef Peter Gordon, a New Zealand-born,

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

-based chef, oversaw the menu development and the first restaurant opened in 2001, bringing the concept of 'gourmet burgers' to London. GBK is known for its "large" burgers, fresh produce and casual service style. The initial success of the

Battersea Battersea is a large district in south London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and extends along the south bank of the River Thames. It includes the Battersea Park. History Batt ...

restaurant led to further openings across London. In 2005, the owners sold the business to Clapham House Group PLC who added a total of 53 restaurants across the UK. In 2010 the restaurant chain was sold to Capricorn Ventures, most notable for operating

Nando's Nando's (; ) is a South African multinational fast casual chain that specialises in flame-grilled peri-peri style chicken. Founded in Johannesburg in 1987, Nando's operates over 1,200 outlets in 30 countries. Their logo (also seen as a sort ...

. GBK expanded to 60 restaurants across the UK, and has plans to continue growing. Franchises operate in Ireland, Dubai, Greece and Oman. In September 2016, the South African firm

Famous Brands Famous Brands Limited is a public company listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in South Africa. Its head offices are in Midrand, Johannesburg. The company is Africa's leading quick-service and casual dining restaurant franchisor. The ...

bought the company for US$143.3 million. In August 2018, the company reported huge losses due to a decline in sales. In October 2018, Gourmet Burger Kitchen reported a £47m loss amid tough trading conditions. Later that month, Gourmet Burger Kitchen announced plans to close 17 restaurants. In October 2020, it was announced that Ranjit Singh Boparan had acquired the company from administration. However, as part of the deal, 26 restaurants would remain closed, with the loss of 362 jobs. 35 restaurants will remain open.

References

External links

* {{Restaurants in London Hamburger restaurants New Zealand cuisine Restaurants established in 2001 Restaurants in London

History

See also

References

External links