Concessions International Brings Gourmet Burgers to Atlanta Airport Travelers

It’s no secret gourmet burger joints have become a national craze in recent years. Serving up a traditional American classic - the burger - with a fresh, epicurean and customizable spin, these modern burger concepts are commanding the fast casual industry. Concessions International (CI), one of the leading food and beverage concessionaires in the U.S., recognizes the widespread demand and is bringing FLY Burger Bar Boutique, the brainchild of Tom Catherall of Atlanta-based Here to Serve Restaurants, to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport’s newly renovated Concourse B.

Certified Master Chef, Tom Catherall, has a 30-year history of offering the best food at the hottest, most innovative restaurants in the Atlanta area, which have become a favorite with diners and critics alike. Boasting 14 restaurants in his Here to Serve portfolio, FLY Burger Bar Boutique is the first concept he has created specifically for the airport environment. As with all of Chef Catherall’s concepts only the freshest ingredients will be used in preparing FLY Burger’s menu.

“We carefully select each and every one of our concept partners,” says Donata Russell Major, CI’s Chief Executive Officer. “But FLY is an especially exciting operation to add to our portfolio. Tom Catherall is a culinary mastermind - with proven success across multiple restaurant genres. FLY will no doubt make a big impact amongst the taste buds of travelers at the world’s busiest airport.”

FLY Burger Bar Boutique was designed with on-the-go guests in mind. Its energetic and approachable atmosphere caters to a variety of travelers needs, offering a convenient to-go counter or seating in the bar or dining area for a quick meal before a flight. The design makes an immediate impression with its signature red color, combined with natural materials and bold accents that provide both comfort and energy.

The concept’s gourmet patties are made fresh daily from never-frozen, angus beef. Innovative menu creations include the Holy Guacamole, featuring freshly made guacamole; the Korean Kimchee, with sesame krispies and pickled veggies; the Crabby Patty, made with lump crab, and the Veggie, topped with caramelized onions - all served with mouth-watering hand-cut French fries. Guests can also choose from a selection of fresh salads, all-day breakfast items as well as signature shakes.

FLY is the final of 11 concepts Concession International has opened in Concourse B of the Atlanta airport just this year - including the likes of Paschal’s, Little Azio, Dos Equis Explorer Lounge, LottaFrutta and Fresh To Order (f2o).

About Concessions International, LLC
Atlanta-based Concessions International, LLC, founded in 1978, is a dynamic food and beverage concessionaire with operations in eight airports. The company’s portfolio includes franchised, licensed and proprietary concepts, including casual dining, quick service, snack, deli and bar and grill. The company is a franchisee of major national brands including Fresh To Order, Seattle’s Best Coffee, and Einstein Bros. Bagels. CI operates Pemberton Café at the World of Coca Cola, and Paschal’s Restaurant in the historic Castleberry district of downtown Atlanta. Visit www.cintl.com for more information.

About Tom Catherall
Tom Catherall has been one of the defining and influential forces of the Atlanta restaurant scene for nearly three decades. A certified master chef, Catherall’s Here to Serve Restaurants group is the successful hospitality umbrella for 11 unique restaurant concepts, from steak, seafood and sushi to Spanish tapas, with 14 locations in the Atlanta area. H2SR is also the home of an in-house bakery that services each concept along with complete catering capabilities. Catherall has been the recipient of numerous awards over the years, including a gold medal with a perfect score citation from the 1988 Culinary Olympics in Frankfurt, Germany, and his 1985 Master Chef Certification by the American Culinary Federation and the Culinary Institute of America, among many others. In 1990, he came in first out of 50 chefs from 50 states in the American Seafood Challenge in New Orleans. He is nominated in 2013 for a Rice Award (Rising in Community Excellence), given to individuals who exemplify professional excellence while edifying the community.