Salford burger joint That Burger Place has been nominated for a second national award just a few years after almost being forced to close.
At the peak of the 2020 lockdown, owner Ryan McDermott was close to giving up.
Now his burger spot in Bolton Road, Walkden, is a thriving business with plans to open another outlet in the city.
A change in the business model, partnered by its West Coast style menu, has led to That Burger Place being selected as one of the finalists for this year’s National Burger Awards.
This remarkable transformation came from a combination of “resilience” and “innovation” from Ryan and his wife and co-owner Megan.
Ryan explained how he persevered and “kept fighting” during Covid-19 to keep his business running.
He said: “My instincts kicked in, I wasn’t going to lose my business because of a global pandemic, I’m going to fight for this.
“So I started selling burger-making meal kits during lockdown and then that just catapulted a whole host of new interest in the business.”
With the rise of popularity from the local community as well as the growth of Uber Eats and Deliveroo, Ryan then set on changing his business model.
He said: “After the pandemic it became completely unviable to keep the restaurant because no one really came out.
“So, we went all-in on delivery, closed the Swinton diner and opened the Walkden store.”
He said focusing on delivery was the best thing to ever happen to the business, because it was more cost effective and allowed them to focus their efforts on the menu.
Ryan said: “Our burgers are different to a traditional Angus style patty, instead we opted for a West Coast Los Angeles style smash burger.
“We smash the meat down and pull in the edges. This makes our burgers super crispy with caramelised burnt ends and cheese soaked into the meat.
“That’s our style and I don’t think anywhere else is doing that.”
The final of the National Burger Awards will see a cook-off take place on February 20 at Big Penny Social in London.
Ryan will face 15 other finalists, cooking his signature Golden Gate Smash burger in front of expert food critics.
If he wins, his burger will be crowned the best in the UK, an “astounding” achievement considering some of the UK’s biggest food giants he will face.
He said: “Being nominated a second time is a bit surreal. We’ve worked so hard and it’s so cool and lovely to be recognised. It is also great for attracting new customers.
“We are one of the top 16 in the country and whether we win it or not, you’re on that list so it’s fantastic for our sales and marketing.
“You’ve got top top places in London like Bleecker Burger and Black Bear Burger on the list who we really admire.
“So to find yourself on the list with these incredible brands is just really validating, especially since we’re from Salford.”
Ryan then explained what research he did to make his burgers stand out. Listen below
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