Alex Best (BSc Human Biology with International Year, 2021) and Molly Thompson-Dykes (BSc Environmental Sciences, 2020) own and run the popular restaurant Burger-Me-Up, established in Selly Oak in 2022. But the restaurant was years in the planning. From football to food courts and now in Stirchley, one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the UK, Alex and Molly talk to Old Joe about their love of doing things the hard way.
Alex and Molly
Couple and business partners Molly and Alex lived together in their second year. Alex’s year abroad in Malaysia exposed him to new cuisines and new business ideas. Back in the UK he worked on the grill at Nando’s in Selly Oak, which fuelled a fascination with the restaurant business. Molly worked in cafés, bars, and ran Vegan Munch on the Bristol Road.
Inspiration and support
The idea for Burger-Me-Up came about because there wasn’t a burger place in Selly Oak at that time. Alex and Molly wanted to make simple food in an area they knew extremely well.
‘The B-Enterprising team at the University were great,’ says Molly. ‘We got a grant, and they signposted us to useful information. It was nice to know someone cared and really wanted to help us. The planning process was intense. After graduation we both worked full time so from 6pm-10pm every night we were cooking or going out looking for inspiration.’
Molly adds: ‘Alongside my academic work at Birmingham, I learnt so many transferable skills: learning to be independent, managing my time and gaining confidence, all of which are so important for running a business.’
For Alex, his scientific training also proved invaluable: ‘A big part of the course was learning to analyse scientific papers. That taught me to question everything. When you’re in business and people are putting deals in front of you, it’s important to be able to step back and think before jumping into anything.’
Starting out
Alex, Molly and their team tested their skills in various kitchens in Digbeth, Solihull and Manchester before they were finally happy with their business model. Alex says: ‘Duncan Cushenan, who is now the manager at The Exchange, was Molly’s boss at The Duck and Scholar, the student pub on the Vale. He put us in touch with Wake Green Football Club to cook for the footballers and the fans. We invited friends and family to our launch; the food wasn’t good back then, but we needed people to tell us that kindly!
‘We then used Indie Lounge as a delivery kitchen,’ remembers Alex. ‘I did all the deliveries myself and Molly cooked. Her brother Josh was studying full-time in Nottingham; he drove over every weekend to help us out!
‘Our favourite Selly Oak restaurant is Dilshad, without question. We used to go with our friends and have the big family naan. The owner Sam is now someone I can call for advice, which is lovely.’
Their own Selly Oak site opened in May 2022 but their aspirations were getting bigger. They moved to larger premises in Stirchley in 2024 as they wanted to be able to serve eat-in customers, too. Molly says: ‘It’s so nice to see people’s reaction when they take that first bite. It makes the hard work worth it!’
Despite being very hands-on, Alex knows it’s good to take time to pause and reflect. ‘This place was our dream two years ago and we’ve made it. When things are going well, we do tend to get bored and look for new challenges. We jump into things a bit too quickly sometimes! Call us crazy, but I think we like doing it tough.’
It’s no coincidence that Alex and Molly played sport to a very high level at university. Alex was President of the Rugby League Club in his final year. That sporting mentality really helps them in business. Alex says: ‘Our motto is: let’s try it. We learn and adapt. There’s so much out of our control especially with everything getting more expensive, so my team and I think creatively to find solutions.
‘We know we need to step back from the grill to plan our future. Excitingly, we are looking at opening another location in the West Midlands once our Stirchley restaurant is running super smoothly.’
And with the future looking bright, what is their proudest achievement so far? Molly says: ‘This restaurant is up there of course, but really, it’s the team we’ve built. People enjoy coming to work here and that’s a real privilege.’
Alex and Molly’s advice for entrepreneurs
- You don’t need to be passionate to start. You need to have some basic skills, and you can develop your interest into a passion.
- You need to understand the business model well and have a good grasp on your key financial metrics.
- You will have to take risks. You may not be able to take a wage for 12-18 months and will have to work another job at the same time as building your business. Struggle for a few years and then you’ll see the fruit of all that labour!
- Try to remember to have fun. It’s human nature to keep pushing but find time to reflect and celebrate your achievements. Enjoy what you’ve created!