A chef from Rochdale has become the youngest person ever to win a Michelin star in Scotland.
Sam Yorke, aged 25, was awarded a highly coveted Michelin star alongside fellow head chef Tomás Gormley, 28, for their Edinburgh restaurant Heron this week.
Originally hailing from Rochdale, Sam trained at the Edinburgh New Town Cooking School before working at the much applauded (now closed) Castle Terrace, where he graduated from commis to sous chef in less than two years under the guidance of chef Dominic Jack.
Sam was also recently named in Code’s 30 under 30 class for 2023/24 as one of the most exciting young chefs in the UK.
Since opening in 2021, Heron offers farm-to-table fine dining with an a-la-carte menu and two tasting menus that change every few weeks.
ADVERTISEMENT
Yorke and Gormley met when they were both working at Seasons (now closed), which was included in the Michelin Guide. / Image: Supplied
Hasselback ratte potato, potato crisps, creme fraiche, trout roe and caviar, oyster and creme fraiche sauce, green dill oil. / Image: Heron
The duo’s restaurant showcases the best of Scotland’s seasonal produce: including organic fruit and vegetables from The Free Company, wild fish and seafood from Belhaven Lobsters, and game and heritage breed meat from MacDuff Butchers from the Lothians and Scottish Borders.
The pair first joined forces as head chefs with a pop-up at-home fine dining experience, Bad Seeds, during Covid which was a sell-out each week.
ADVERTISEMENT
Yorke and Gormley met when they were both working at Seasons (now closed), which was included in the Michelin Guide.
Tomás also has an impressive background, working across some of the country’s best loved restaurants including (the now closed) Le Roi Fou, two-star Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles and 21212, when it held its Michelin star.
Tomás and Sam offer an a la carte and tasting menu championing the best of each season, with dishes on their most recent tasting menu including hand-dived Orkney scallops marinated in garum and topped with blood orange and radish; Hopetoun Estate venison, beetroot, grape and rhubarb, almond and tarragon.
Speaking on their win, Rochdale lad Sam commented: “To say that I’m delighted would be an understatement. It means a great deal to be recognised by such a prestigious organisation for our work at Heron.
“It’s a real testament to the unwavering focus and dedication of the entire team, without whom we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
Tomás added: “If you had asked me two years ago, when Sam and I sat down to start planning our pop-up Bad Seeds, I would never have imagined this happening.
ADVERTISEMENT
“This is a huge achievement for everyone, and I am so grateful that we get to go on this journey with them.”
This now means that Leith has the highest concentration of Michelin-star restaurants per square metre outside of London, making it a foodie capital for the UK.
Manchester, meanwhile, was snubbed at this year’s Michelin awards with no new stars awarded to its restaurants. Simon Martin’s Mana retained its one-star rating, whilst Where The Light Gets In – which received a Green Star last year – was overlooked for further awards in 2023.
Manchester’s European pasta and dumplings restaurant The Sparrows in Green Quarter, meanwhile, was awarded a Bib Gourmand by Michelin last week in recognition of its good food and modest prices.
New pie shop with Indian-inspired fillings opens at Greater Manchester train station
Emily Sergeant
At long last, Patel’s Pies – the proper pie shop with Indian-inspired fillings – has got its very own site, and we couldn’t be happier about it.
The business is already a familiar name (to the blue half of the city, of course) thanks to its matchday spot outside the Etihad Stadium, but now, Patel’s Pies will be serving its delicious savoury bakes to the people of the Heatons too – with its brand-new pie shop now opene at Heaton Chapel train station.
Here you’ll find their legendary curry pies with homemade pastry – filled with the likes of keema, butter chicken, and beef madras.
You can grab hot and cold pies to take away, all setting you back an affordable £5.95 each.
Patel’s Pies is now open at Heaton Chapel train station / Credit: The Manc Group
From 11am-2pm, you can also get your hands on the lunch deal, which is any pie, masala mash, spiced mushy peas, and gunpowder gravy.
Patel’s Pies has teamed up with Manc legends Gooey, so you can grab the bakery’s famous cookies and doughnuts here too.
There’ll also be local beers and canned drinks up for grabs.
All pies will set you back an affordable £5.95 each / Credit: The Manc Group
Inside, the shop keeps things traditional, complete with classic pie warmers on the counter and hand-painted signage by Cactus Sign Painting, giving the space the feel of a proper old-school pie shop with a modern twist.
Announcing the new venture, Steve, the owner of Patel’s Pies has said: “We’d love for you to come down, say hello, and support our new venture. It’s our very first day, so please bear with us as we get settled in, we can’t wait to serve you all.”
Patel’s Pies is open now at Heaton Chapel Train Station on Tatton Road South.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Eats
Trendy Ancoats wine bar Blossom Street Social to close after six years
Emily Sergeant
Trendy neighbourhood wine bar Blossom Street Social has announced its closure after nearly seven years serving the Ancoats community.
Blossom Street Social first opened its doors back in 2019, just months before the country – and the res of the world – was plunged into the COVID-19 lockdowns, but despite all the challenges during the early days, this wine bar went on to become a true staple of Ancoats life – hosting events, exhibitions, wine tastings, and everything in between.
But now, the owners have had to make the heartbreaking decision to close, saying they’ve ‘danced our last dance, played our last record, and poured our last glass of wine in Ancoats.’
Announcing the news in a statement to social media this week, Blossom Street Social said: “Blossom Street Social closes its doors after six and a half years at the heart of the Ancoats community.
Blossom Street Social has announced its closure after six years / Credit: The Manc Group
“When we opened in 2019, just months before the world changed forever, we couldn’t possibly have imagined the journey ahead. Through lockdowns, uncertainty and everything that followed, we somehow managed to build something that became far more than a wine bar.
“Wine was always at the heart of what we did, but so were the conversations, the music, the art and the community that grew around it.
“We’ve hosted tastings, exhibitions, launches, celebrations, social sessions and countless memorable nights. We’ve introduced people to wines they’d never tried before, watched friendships form and shared in some truly special moments.
“We’ve watched first dates become engagements, engagements become marriages, and couples return with babies in tow. We’ve celebrated birthdays, anniversaries, new homes and countless milestones alongside you. We’ve shared conversations, laughter, music and moments that mattered from our little corner of Ancoats. We will never forget them.”
The team then went on to thank ‘every customer, artist, DJ, supplier, collaborator and friend’ who became part of their story.
The owners also gave a special thank you to the staff members who stayed ‘to the very end’ and ‘showed up when it was hard’, admitting that they couldn’t have done it without them all.
Georgina Pellant -
29th March 2023 
