Gourmet Burger Kitchen facts for kids
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| Wholly owned subsidiary | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Headquarters | London, England, UK |
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Number of locations
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35 |
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Area served
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UK, Greece, Ireland & the Middle East |
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Key people
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Peter Gordon |
| Products | New Zealand cuisine |
| £2,800,000+ | |
| Owner | Boparan Restaurant Group |
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Number of employees
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650 |
Gourmet Burger Kitchen (often called GBK) is a popular restaurant chain. It's famous for its special, high-quality burgers. You can find GBK restaurants in the United Kingdom and Ireland. There's also a cool "Kiwi" (New Zealand) feel in the restaurants. This is a nod to where the first owners came from.
The Story of GBK
How it Started
GBK began in London in 2001. It was started by Adam Wills, Greg Driscoll, Brandon Allen from New Zealand, and Kalimali Moses from Uganda. They wanted to bring a new idea of "gourmet burgers" to London.
A famous chef named Peter Gordon helped create the menu. He is from New Zealand but lives in London. The first restaurant opened in Battersea and was a big hit! People loved GBK's large burgers, fresh ingredients, and relaxed style.
Growing Bigger
Because the first restaurant was so popular, more GBK locations opened across London. In 2005, the original owners sold the business to a company called Clapham House Group PLC. This helped GBK grow even more, adding 53 restaurants across the UK.
In 2010, the chain was sold again, this time to Capricorn Ventures. This company is also known for running the restaurant Nando's. GBK kept growing and reached 60 restaurants in the UK. They also have franchise restaurants in other countries like Ireland, Dubai, Greece, and Oman.
Facing Challenges and New Beginnings
In September 2016, a company from South Africa called Famous Brands bought GBK. A couple of years later, in 2018, GBK faced some tough times. Sales went down, and the company had some financial difficulties.
To help with these challenges, GBK announced plans to close 17 of its restaurants in October 2018. Then, in October 2020, a new owner stepped in. Ranjit Singh Boparan bought the company. As part of this deal, 26 restaurants had to close, which meant some jobs were lost. However, 35 GBK restaurants were able to stay open and continue serving their famous burgers!
