Pinsent Masons and Westminster firm Bircham Dyson Bell have secured lead mandates as South Africa's Famous Brands – owner of Johannesburg-headquartered fast food chain Wimpy – buys UK chain Gourmet Burger Kitchen (GBK) for £120m.

GBK is owned by the British arm of the Nando's chicken restaurant chain, Capricorn Ventures.

Pinsents advised Capricorn Ventures with a team led by London corporate partner Joanne Ellis.

Macfarlanes advised GBK management with a team led by City M&A partners Jessica Adam – who spoke to Legal Week in late August about her career – and Stephen Drewitt.

Bircham Dyson Bell represented Famous Brands with a team headed up by corporate partner Nick McCarthy, supported by IP partner Dennis Lee and corporate and commercial partner Philip Lamb.

In addition, real estate partner David Darvill led a team advising on the commercial property aspects of the deal.

Famous Brands is within the top 100 companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and has a portfolio that includes 2,600 restaurants throughout Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

In other fast food-related deals, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer and SJ Berwin secured roles on the bidding for burger chain Byron back in 2013, which was eventually sold to Hutton Collins Partners for £100m.