Glasgow's famous Big Feed Kitchen has launched its new menu following the Rafa’s tacos kitchen takeover.
The Princes Square hotspot launched with a menu showcasing street food favourites from around the world but will bring in guest street food icons to take control.
Their aim is to showcase some of Scotland’s most innovative food trucks and small operations on a larger scale, with facilities to cater for much bigger crowds.
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Rafa's – which sells out daily at their tiny Finnieston tacqueria – kicked off their open-ended BFK residency today.
Founder and head chef Gregor Forest grew up in Arizona after moving there from Glasgow as a child, bringing with him a passion for real deal Mexican food when he returned a few years ago. He has now fulfilled a dream with Rafa’s tacos running Big Feed Kitchen.
Gregor said: “I grew up in Phoenix, Arizona, a very taco-loving city right down on the border. Lots of my friends were Mexican and every store or gas station has a taco stand, like corner shops have pakora and stuff here. So I was eating lots of tacos.
“I dropped out of school and started cooking when I was 18. The first restaurant I worked in my chef was named Rafa and Rafa’s is named after him – he was my guy who taught me how to cook, I fell in love with food in that kitchen and it became all I ever wanted to do.
“I moved around the USA a lot then came home to Glasgow because my whole family live here, I worked a few places here then did my own thing, bought a food truck and it never really took off because of Covid.
“I use it still and did burrito deliveries in the first lockdown, delivering in a black taxi. That was the birth of Rafa’s. Then I found the unit in Hidden Lane which was then a tiny little bakery and it went from there, the brand grew faster than I'd ever imagine and now we have teamed up with Big Feed Kitchen to take over their full restaurant in Princes Square, it’s crazy.”
While Rafa's emphasises authentic Mexican cuisine, one or two of the dishes have had a Glasgow twist, which Gregor admits are favourites with customers.
“For me there are two key items – the fish taco is super important, a massive seller for us, really nice fresh cod from the North Sea. Let’s face it if you are beer battering white fish in Glasgow people go crazy. Fried fish is life.
“The other one is the San Diego burrito which has French fries and braised ox cheek in it. It’s a little different to what we have in Finnieston as we use bavette there but it’s the same sort of barbacoa product, having it here at BFK with cheese, fries, sour cream and salsa. Basic but amazing. Throw fries in carbs with meat and it’s perfect for Glasgow again.”
Gregor explained the opportunity to scale up and work in partnership with the legendary Big Feed was just too good to pass up.
“The chance to bring Rafa’s to Big Feed Kitchen was just much too good to turn down," he said. "We have worked with the Big Feed guys before at TRSNMT, which was one of the biggest things we had done. We have worked with them a few times on different things and it has always been a really good experience.
“The Big Feed are great, I like working with them as everything is done the right way and people love the brand. At the Big Feed Kitchen, everything here is super nice, it has great equipment for us, we can make Rafa’s streamlined here and run like a proper big restaurant, it’s really exciting.
“It is the chance for the customers who walk down Buchanan Street each day, who aren’t likely to be down a back alley in Finnieston, to come in and see us and try our food. The people who come to Hidden Lane are Mexican or Californian or find us on Insta.
“To be able to serve our food to the general Scottish public in a place like Princes Square with Big Feed Kitchen is ideal. We have capacity to do it right, we can have a lot more stock and not sell out, plus you can get your beers, margaritas and so on.”
Jonathan Stipanovsky of Big Feed Kitchen said: “Rafa’s was always the first choice for a guest takeover and we are thrilled to welcome them to our lovely home in Princes Square.
“It’s a chance to try real quality Mexican street food – and the quirky Glasgow hybrid dishes too. Rafa’s are now live at Big Feed Kitchen and personally I can’t think of a better way to warm up after a bit of shopping than a taco or 10.”
There is still a wider-ranging kids menu available at BFK, as well as a selection of pizzas. A range of cocktails and drinks are also available plus DJs from 5-8pm Friday and Saturday, live music on Sundays.
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