Celebrity TV chef Gordon Ramsay left local bakers surprised and elated yesterday after he dropped into their newly-opened cafe for a slice of Manchester tart.
Unable to resist the local delicacy, the no-nonsense TV chef headed to the brand new Loaf cafe at Affinity Living, Spinningfields, for a sweet pick-me-up after a day of filming a top secret new project.
To the delight of the team, he opted for this week’s new special, a slice of Manchester tart loaf cake made with a vanilla base and custard filling, coconut-infused buttercream and fresh raspberry jam.
Loaf founder Aiden Ryan shared a picture of himself beaming next to the firebrand TV chef on social media last night and described Gordon Ramsay as ‘such a gent’.
The Manchester Tart loaf cake is on as a special at Loaf cafe in Affinity Living, Spinningfields, all week. / Image: Loaf
Alongside the snap, which quickly started racking up the likes, he wrote: “We had a cheeky visit from the one and only @gordongram and his team!
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“Thank you for joining us for a slice of the Manchester Tart and for the well wishes!!! Such a gent!!!
“If Gordon says it’s good, it must be good – right?!”
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The quirkily-decorated new cafe, which is done up in all pinks, greens and whites, sits on the bank of the river Irwell and is a one-minute walk away from the People’s History Museum.
Image: Loaf Manchester
It specialises in old-school loaf cakes, which is something that Aiden first began baking in lockdown to raise money for the NHs, as well as serving loafnuts (their take on donuts), pastries and freshly brewed cups of coffee.]
Alongside this classic collection of nostalgic cakes, you’ll also find the Loaf Au Choc, croissant loaves and brioche loave fresh on the counter every day, all served by the slice.
Elsewhere, there’ll be artisanal sandwiches and bagels provided by Sndwch Mcr, salads and smoothies from Bondi Bowls, and naturally made soft drinks from Steep Soda Co.
Those heading down can find weekly Loaf favourites topped with Jammie Dodgers, Biscoff, Bourbon Biscuits and Custard Creams, as well as the Manchester Tart special enjoyed by Gordon Ramsay this week.
Katy Perry announces massive gig in Manchester next year
Thomas Melia
Pop chart-topper and overall legend Katy Perry is stopping off in Manchester as part of her new EU and UK tour dates.
The Roar singer will be heading to the AO Arena next October, alongside shows in Sheffield, Glasgow, Birmingham and London, with tickets on sale later this week.
Whether you’re going to watch hits like ‘California Gurls’, ‘Hot ‘N’ Cold’ or excited for the newer tracks like ‘I’m His, He’s Mine’, one thing is for certain you’ll have to ‘Swish Swish’ past a lot of people for these in-demand tickets.
In a new video uploaded to her social media channels, holding a Union Jack flag with a mini microphone attached to it, Katy Perry has revealed she can’t wait to ‘share a cuppa’ with us. We’ve already got the kettle brewing.
There’s a real connection between the former American Idol judge and our beautiful country, with her performing at Buckingham Palace for the Coronation Concert in 2023 and more recently bringing an exclusive ‘A Night Of A Lifetime’ show to ITV this winter.
Perry has the second most Diamond-certified singles in for a female artist in the U.S, four guiness world records and five UK number one hits.
Her latest album ‘143’, which is a numeric synonym of ‘I love you’ and the singer’s angel number, came out mid-September featuring three standout singles, ‘Woman’s World’, ‘Lifetimes and the aforementioned ‘I’m His, He’s Mine’, a collaboration with upcoming rapper Doechii.
The American performer hasn’t had it easy with the rollout of her seventh studio album coming under fire for working with controversial record producer Dr. Luke.
In 2014, the American producer was part of a nine year long court case with musician Kesha which has now reached an agreement, however Luke is still heavily involved with the music industry working on songs with artists like Nicki Minaj, Doja Cat and Kim Petras.
This tour is a poignant one as the global superstar is set to donate £1 from every ticket to Music Venue Trust which will be distributed to UK grassroots music venues.
After a sensational and career-defining Vegas residency titled ‘PLAY’ which featured a giant toilet as stage decorum, it’s no surprise that this run of UK shows are set to be just as captivating and outrageous.
Katy Perry is bringing ‘The Lifetimes Tour’ to Manchester’s AO Arena on October with pre-sale tickets going live on 20 November and general onsale on 22 November HERE.
Forget pub crawls – you can now go on a guided cheese crawl around Manchester
Thomas Melia
Manchester is a foodie’s paradise and with so many options at hand why not break it down into individual food groups – starting with the dairy crowd pleaser, cheese.
Long gone are the draining pub crawls of the past, it’s time to make way for the new pioneer in the world of adventurous crawling, ‘The Manchester Cheese Crawl’.
There’s always lots of food and drink options flowing throughout our bubbly city spanning all cuisines and cultures so it comes as no surprise that the latest way to experience Manchester is via cheese, a staple of many citizens’ diets.
On the tour, there will be insider knowledge on-hand as you wander the streets and sample the creamy delights, assisting you with any dying queso queries and pecorino ponders that you need to get off your chest.
There’ll be plenty of familiar independents on the Manchester Cheese Crawl, including Northern Soul’s impressive grilled cheese sandwiches as well as more traditional cheese samples.
How could this experience get any better I hear you ask, how about a free glass of fizz to accompany those already impressive cheese selections? Yes please!
Guests can expect to sample some of Manchester’s dairy delights while being directed by some of Manchester’s top cheese connoisseurs that are the real big cheese.
Groups who take the tour aren’t just treated to food and drink, they also receive free entertainment from their food guides who are prepared to make you chuckle with their incredible humour.
The Manchester Cheese Crawl will feature plenty of bites for curd nerdsA selection of dairy heaven displayed on a wonderful variety cheese board.Credit: Unsplash
Previous visitors have commented on their experience while taking the tour sharing the names their groups received with highlights such as ‘Shaken not curd’ and ‘Three blind mice’.
They really are serious about their cheeses, another previous visitor who went on the tour revealed their guide even had a name that perfectly fit the occasion, ‘Mel the babybel’.
It’s sure to be a fantastic day with games and activities planned for all as you walk between the shops landmarked on the cheese-filled route.
Everyone on the tour also gets a small taste of the high life as they are treated to a Lancashire cheese handmade by a local star and celebrity.
Starting at the Richard Cobden Statue and finishing on the always vibrant Tib Street, a quick google search reveals this walk isn’t too strenuous taking only 12 minutes but with many cheeses to get your whiskers on it will probably take around an estimated two hours to tackle.
Running this Saturday 16 November and planned to continue until November 2025 and beyond, you’d be emmental to miss out on this cheesy adventure.
If all this cheese talk has left you dreaming about your next foodie fix, tickets for ‘The Manchester Cheese Crawl’ are on sale and available here.
Georgina Pellant -
21st June 2022 
