EXCLUSIVE: Opening Day Interview w/Tommi Tómasson of Tommi’s @BurgerJointUK

Tommi’s Burger Joint 58 Marylebone Lane, Marylebone, London, W1U 2NX

Tommi’s Burger Joint is situated just off Wigmore Street on Marylebone Lane. Owner Tommi Tómasson is in London today, personally overseeing the opening day of his first ‘Hamborgara Bullan’ (Hamburger Joint) outside Iceland.

Tommi Tómasson, founder of Tommi’s Burger Joint – Has eaten a burger a day for the past 8 years!

Why did you choose to open in London? Are you opening anywhere else outside Iceland?
“We are actually opening in Copenhagen [Denmark] too, but the development of our site has been delayed, this great site in London came up and we decided to ‘dip-our-elbows’ into the waters”

London has a lot of burger venues right now, where does Tommi Burger Joint fit in?
“We’re above a McDonalds and below a ‘sit-down-with-a-knife-and-fork’ venue. I loved Burger & lobster, but that’s not what we’re aiming for. They are more of a ‘sit-down-and-stay’ place. We are more ‘eat-and-go’.

Since you’re in London, have you been visited many burger venues in town?
“Oh yes! I think I’ve been to all of them! Meat Liquor, Meat Market, Black & Blue… I think the Rivington [Grill] has the best burger in town.”

Regular Burger, Veggie Burger or Steak Burger…

Londoners have lots of innovative places like Lucky Chip making fois gras and duck burgers and Shrimpy’s with soft shell crab burgers. Are there any plans to go in that direction.
No, we’re sticking to a regular burger, steak burger and veggie burger. we like what we do… we do it well and we love the burger. Our burgers are like a good action, B-movie. You should enjoy when you watch it but always be ready for the next one.

Any parting words for London burger fans?
“We are a ‘class-less’ place, we love to serve. If you don’t like it you don’t have to pay, you’re not coming here for a bad burger.”

Are you sure you want that in print?
[Speaks to his staff in Icelandic who smile and nod] Yes!

So your heard it here first “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to pay”

Before I leave, Tommi, a 63 years old man who has been running businesses since 1974, also tells me;

“I have had a burger EVERY DAY for the last eight years. I love burgers, I never get bored of them.”

Tommi’s clearly a man who stands by his products!

CONTACT DETAILS:
Tommi’s Burger Joint
Ad: 58 Marylebone Lane, Marylebone, London, W1U 2NX (map)
Ww: www.burgerjoint.co.uk
Tw: @BurgerJointUK

Ww: www.bullan.is (Icelandic Website)

For more from Tommi’s, click here