Premier Hospitality Scotland

GBK Glasgow

GBK Glasgow
Written by Roma Publications

GBK Glasgow

Founded in 2001, Gourmet Burger Kitchen – or GBK for short – is a restaurant chain that is all about the burger.

From the classic beef burger through to the appropriately named The Mighty, GBK has been serving up belly busting burgers to satisfied customers for over a decade.

In 2011, keen to keep the brand at the forefront of the market, GBK implemented a scheme to refresh its existing sites through a programme of refurbishments. Three design practices were appointed to rework GBK sites across the UK, with design led architectural practice moreno:masey being one such company.

Formed in 2007, moreno:masey is an architectural practice with a strong client focus. The practice consistently delivers innovative schemes, from residential works to restaurant projects.

Working closely with GBK, moreno:masey completed its first fit-out at GBK Northcote Road, before delivering sites such as GBK Oxford Road, GBK Greenwich, GBK Brighton and GBK Nottinghill. More recently, moreno:masey provided design services for GBK’s new restaurant in Glasgow.

GBK Glasgow

The initial feasibility sketches started on GBK Glasgow in September 2013, with works commencing on site a year later. The scheme reached a successful completion in December 2014 and was recently recognised with a nomination at the Casual Dining Awards 2015, within the Best Designed Multiple Restaurant category.

Senior Architect at moreno:masey, Stuart Child, said:

“Recognition is always flattering and of course very much welcomed both by the practice and the client. As a design team we find often the true reward is derived from witnessing first hand our schemes go from a paper sketch to being in full swing during busy opening nights. The buzz and atmosphere of a restaurant packed with customers and staff makes the enterprise worthwhile.”

The design of GBK Glasgow takes inspiration from a disused casino, with highlights which include plush finishes, decorative lighting, rich upholstery, mesh screens and rough core ten steel – the latter being a nod to the city’s ship building heritage. Reclaimed Scottish whisky barrel timber is in use across the wall surfaces of the restaurant, whilst a focus on the preparation of food permeates through the building.

GBK Glasgow

Stuart, said:

“Internally one of the biggest design challenges was managing the vastness of the interior. Exceptionally high floor-to-ceiling levels and a single space often make it difficult to achieve the same levels of privacy and intimacy that is regularly achieved within smaller premises. A strategy to break up the spaces, by introducing seating configurations, mesh boxes and screens, all sought to lower the ceiling level and introduce localised low level lighting to individual tables. This avoided the feel of one vast open space.

“Material choices also sought to distinguish these different areas of seating offering comfortable booths for larger parties, seats for a quick bite to eat, and flexible loose seating to cater for couples to much larger parties.”

Working on GBK Glasgow has been another important project for moreno:masey. Stuart commented:

“Our working relationship with GBK is closely knit and is reflected and rewarded through repeat business and a series of successful schemes developed and built over the last four years.

“The teams behind the development and construction of the projects work closely with each other to achieve the client’s goals on a tight schedule. This understanding allows an element of freedom on design while working to achieve brand goals and common elements of styling. Through this approach, each scheme is allowed to be distinct, pushing the brand forward.

GBK Glasgow

“Being part of the brand development in this way creates opportunities to try different design solutions, to prototype aspects of the restaurants and trial ideas that, when successful, become part of the broader brand approach.”

Working on GBK Glasgow, UHS supplied the restaurant with a range of chairs, including Elena, Lorenzo and Milo chairs, as well as herringbone table tops with copper bands. UHS is a furniture supplier, specialising in indoor & outdoor furniture solutions for hotels, pubs and restaurants to the hospitality industry.

Natasha Yelland of UHS, said:

“Our working relationship with GBK is very important to us because here at UHS we take great pride in serving our customers. We have a highly-skilled and well-disciplined sales team who dedicate their time and knowledge towards the principles of team work, loyalty, honesty and integrity for our customers.”

Burgers at GBK Glasgow – as with all GBK restaurants – are cooked to order and served up fresh every day, with a range of options available, from beef and chicken to speciality and vegetarian burgers. All of GBK’s beef burgers are made from 100% prime beef, using traditionally reared and grass fed cattle and is hand selected to ensure only the freshest, best quality burgers are on offer.

Burger options include the 4oz or 6oz Classic, The Taxidriver, the Habanero and the Kiwiburger. Meanwhile, The Don includes American cheese, gorgonzola, baconnaise, rocket salad, onion jam, house mayo and pickled onion, all serve up in a brioche bun.

GBK Glasgow

Additional choices include the Mexican-inspired Blazing Sombrero, the continental Camemburger or the Kiwiburger, which is loaded with beetroot, a fried egg, pineapple, mature cheddar cheese, the house mayonnaise, relish and salad.

To accompany each burger there is a selection of salads, fries and sides. All of GBK’s salads are freshly prepared – providing a lighter option if a burger is too much to handle – whilst sides include chargrilled corn, GBK coleslaw, homemade onion rings and blue cheese slaw.

For those with a sweet tooth (and room to squeeze in a pudding), a small selection of desserts is on the menu, including Greek yoghurt & honey ice cream, Madagascan vanilla ice cream and frozen strawberry yoghurt. A range of milkshakes is also available, with traditional shakes such as chocolate and vanilla accompanied by salted caramel, Oreos and peanut butter.

To round out the menu is a collection of soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, including wines, beers and ciders.

GBK restaurants are dotted around the UK, from London, Leeds and Liverpool to Birmingham, Bristol and Bath. Each restaurant showcases the mouth-watering GBK menu whilst situated within key locations. Customers can now order their favourite burgers, ready for collection them their nearest GBK restaurant by simply downloading the GBK app and letting their fingers order their next meal.

GBK Glasgow

For more information on GBK please visit www.gbk.co.uk.

 

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Roma Publications