Nisha and Nishma opened their first Grill My Cheese (‘GMC’) street food stall in 2013. Over the last three and a half years, they have sold more than 45,000 toasties at a range of festivals, food markets, and corporate events. Having traded from a permanent pitch in Leather Lane since 2014, GMC are now looking to open London’s first grilled cheese restaurant chain, serving their delicious sandwiches alongside a range of side dishes, drinks and desserts.
There is nothing better than melted cheese encased in buttery, toasted, golden bread. It is something that everyone can relate to and automatically brings a smile to people’s faces. As friends and former flat mates, cheese toasties became a comforting staple after long hours in the office and the odd night out. After years of experimenting with different fillings and flavour combinations, we wanted to share our fun and unique creations.
Having worked in corporate jobs for 5 years, we decided to pursue our dreams and open Grill My Cheese, in May 2013.
What is your long-term vision?
The last three years of operating as a street food stall has given us a chance to test the market, perfect our product and learn as much as we can about our customer base. We want to open London’s first grilled cheese restaurant chain. This will provide a full restaurant experience beyond our street food brand, whilst also bringing something new and exciting to the casual dining market. We are currently working towards opening a flagship restaurant in a prime London location, followed by a rapid growth plan, resulting in 10 sites in 5 years.
Why did you choose Toucan and what do you expect to get out of this relationship?
Toucan’s support team and extensive network was one of the reasons why we decided to work with them. The amount of passion and enthusiasm they have shown for our business and supporting us as young entrepreneurs has been absolutely priceless. We hope to continue working with them for the long haul, achieve our brand and business potential and realise the Grill My Cheese vision.