One of Manchester’s most unique restaurant concepts Six by Nico has this week launched its Masterclasses series to allow foodies to recreate the magic at home.
Chef Nico Simeone’s – the founder of the Six by Nico chain, which also has restaurants in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast and Liverpool – latest offering finally gives his loyal customers the opportunity they have been waiting for – their turn to become the chef.
Six by Nico Masterclasses aims to transport customers to the Six by Nico kitchens, where they will be able to immerse themselves in the culinary creation of Chef Nico Simeone’s “exquisite, saporous and high-quality restaurant dishes”, with everything from prepping, to cooking and plating.
Each master class box contains all the ingredients needed to make two brand new recipes, both of which are perfectly-portioned for two and come complete with half a bottle of wine for each recipe.
The Six by Nico Masterclasses will teach you how to “prep, plate and pair recipes that wow your friends and family”.
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With three restaurant-inspired courses to choose from every week, the recipes are designed for home cooking and will teach you how to build elevated dishes using a variety of ingredients.
As well as easy-to-follow instructions, Nico Simeone will also be on hand to help guide you through all the steps of his online video lessons, which are beautifully produced and will be streamed to Six by Nico Masterclasses’ private YouTube channel.
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The Masterclasses series is the most immersive food experience yet from the initiative Scottish Chef, who opened his first Six by Nico restaurant in Glasgow in 2017.
Six by NicoSix by Nico
Speaking on the launch of Six by Nico Masterclasses, Nico Simeone said: “Unfortunately, because of the ever-changing constraints [making us] unable to open our restaurants, my team and I have adapted and curated a new culinary venture, Six by Nico Masterclasses.
“It’s our most immersive project to date, starting from today in five cities in the UK.
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“A very exciting time for our team and a fresh fun experience for our Six by Nico community to learn and build the best possible recipe book imaginable from home”.
Masterclasses are now available to order for homes right across Manchester.
With a selection of new recipes added each week, you will be able to choose two to build your perfect box, with each recipe containing two portions.
Prices start from £60 for four portions.
Masterclasses offer a local delivery service within a strict five-mile radius of Six by Nico restaurants in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, Manchester and Liverpool, or you can opt for the takeaway/pick up service from their restaurant locations.
A tiny new train station pub is set to open at Manchester Oxford Road
Daisy Jackson
A tiny craft beer pub is set to open at Manchester Oxford Road, making all those inevitable train cancellations a little sweeter.
The new boozer will come from the same team behind some of the UK’s best train station pubs, who already have bars at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria.
A licensing application has now been submitted by Bloomsbury Leisure Holdings Limited to take over the former cycle hub at Manchester Oxford Road.
The small building is directly opposite the entrance to the busy train station on the southern side of the city centre.
If approved, it will be the third site for the pub group in Manchester.
They already operate the Piccadilly Tap, that two-storey beer bar on Piccadilly Approach with a heated rooftop space and outdoor patio.
The team are also responsible for the more recently-opened Victoria Tap, which took over the former bin store at Manchester Victoria.
That particular pub has a heated beer garden constructed just inches away from where the trams tootle past and has a departures board where time is measured by pints (got 10 mins til your train leaves? That’s one pint, sir!)
As for the Oxford Road Tap, a new account on X appeared a few weeks ago that appears to confirm the imminent arrival of a new pub.
The Oxford Road Tap have applied to have opening hours through to half-past-midnight Sunday to Thursday, and until 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays.
They teased a mocked-up photo of posters outside the station with the new pub logo, plus a slogan of ‘Great beer is just a few steps away…’
They later shared ‘Triple threat incoming’ with all three pub brands lined up as a deck of cards.
Northern Quarter favourite Pie and Ale has sadly closed down
Danny Jones
Beloved Northern Quarter eatery and pub Pie and Ale has sadly and quietly closed its doors this week in yet another gutting bit of news for the Manc hospitality sector.
Known for its legendary homemade pies, great selections of ales, craft beers and lagers, not to mention a great little pub when it comes to watching live sport, it’s long been considered an NQ institution.
Unfortunately, however, as confirmed by a sign posted in the window, Pie and Ale has now closed for business after more than a decade.
Safe to say, we’re absolutely gutted, as we’re sure everyone else is.
Credit: The Manc Eats
While no official announcement has been made on their social media as yet, which will no doubt receive love and sadness from its loyal following, the sign in the window simply reads: “Pie and Ale has unfortunately ceased trading. Apologies for any inconvenience.”
The local favourite which was always hailed for being great value for money – celebrated especially for its popular pie and a pint for under a tenner deal – also served up great nibbles and light bites as well as dessert specials.
Although the Lever Street spot previously shut down for a short spell back in 2018 due to what they labelled as “unforeseen circumstances” before reopening just two months later, this latest update looks pretty definitive.
Sister-site Bakerie also ceased trading back in April 2019, with husband and wife founders, Alyson Doocey and David Cook, admitting that all independents had been “feeling the squeeze”.
While we have few other details at this stage, it does look like Pie and Ale has indeed closed down for the foreseeable future.
A mainstay on our list of the best pies in Manchester since day dot and just the latest in the list of losses in 2024 so far, they will be sorely missed.
We sincerely hope this is like last time and will keep our fingers crossed that we see the pie pros and expert pourers back in business at some point.
Emily Sergeant -
15th January 2021 
