YouTube sensation opens her own cafe
Video of Grandma’s Kitchen on the Rate My Takeaway channel approaches the 3m views mark, as owner Marion Love prepares to launch in new premises
REWIND to April 2021 and with people still unable to eat in pubs and restaurants, a relatively unknown YouTuber called Danny Malin travelled down the M62 from Leeds to Bolton to review a takeaway known as ‘Grandma’s Kitchen’ for his channel ‘Rate My Takeaway.’
What made Grandma’s Kitchen so unique was that the grandma in question - Marion Love - cooked and served full English breakfasts from her Farnworth terraced house. In his video, Danny was full of praise for her cooking and the quality of the ingredients used.
At the time of the video going live, Rate My Takeaway had gained around 1,000 subscribers since launching in June 2020. Once it came out, it blew up - gaining more than 116,000 subscribers that month and a further 135,000 subscribers in the May.
14 months on, it has been viewed almost 3 million times and is still the most viewed video on the channel. The channel itself also has a following of more than half-a-million people.
Somewhat ironically, since going viral, Marion has not spent a lot of her time making fry-ups but has instead been working to open her own cafe.
She first put the wheels in motion in 2019 but with lockdowns and other delays, it is only now that she is ready to open her doors.
Marion said: “It’s been a long time, it doesn’t feel as it actually has been now that we’re at the finish line.
“I’m more excited than nervous it’s like a pinch me moment - from cooking in my kitchen to finally being here.
“We’ve done a few trial runs and it’s been crazy. People have been queuing up and the phones have never stopped ringing.
“When the Rate My Takeaway video went live it went mad and even now, people come from all over the place because people want to try it. Every time I’m in here people come and ask if we’re open and it’s been a shame turning them away but it’s a great sign that there’s that interest.”
From the outside, Grandma’s Kitchen stands out Buckley Lane with a red brick exterior, along with huge, inviting windows and sleek black and white signage.
Upon entering, customers are greeted with hand-made wooden tables, black leather furniture and white walls, with panels in a gorgeous shade of green.
Dotted throughout the cafe is foliage, with both the menus and coasters also making nods to this. It is a really inviting and smart looking place to eat and Marion’s infectious enthusiasm for the business matches.
She added: “Me, my business partner and my daughters have all worked together [on the design] and I think we’ve come up with something quite simple but really nice.”
Hot drinks are provided by local business Rijo 42, the menus were printed by a Bolton-based company called Minerva Print and the tables were built by someone in the area. Having that local connection is something that Marion cherishes.
“It’s important for us because I’m a people person and I want to know who I’m ordering from,” she said. “It’s nice because we’re helping each other out.”
The menu is also relatively simple with Marion focusing on doing a few dishes really well rather than trying to offer too much at the expense of quality.
Her famous full English, featuring fresh, locally sourced ingredients, is £8.50 (including a juice or a hot drink).
Lunch options include salad bowls and chicken wraps (both £6), while the mouth-watering dessert menu includes cookie pies (£3.50), cheesecake (£4.50) and sticky toffee pudding (£5.50).
Children’s breakfasts are excellently priced (£1) and Marion has had activity booklets printed out to keep them entertained.
Grandma’s Kitchen opens tomorrow and will be open seven days a week. For more information, visit the Grandma’s Kitchen Instagram page.