Eats

This Manchester coffee shop is hiring a professional sandwich tester

Applicants must have the 'ability to consume a large amount of bread'.

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 8th August 2023

A coffee shop in Manchester is hiring for the dream job of a sandwich tester – and if you’re anything like us you’ll already be polishing up your butty eating CV.

200 Degrees coffee shop is on the hunt for a Manc with a ‘passion for sandwiches’ to help it taste its new menu of sarnies. If that isn’t a dream role, to be honest we don’t know what is.

Requirements include a ‘passion for sandwiches’, and the ‘ability to consume a large amount of bread’.

The lucky sandwich tester must also be happy to travel to a 200 Degrees coffee shop, give feedback on sandwiches and be photographed on eight different platforms.

The sandwich tester also cannot be vegan or vegetarian, as they will be required to eat some meat products, in exchange for a ‘competitive salary’ (and by that, they mean all the sandwiches you cant eat).

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So far, so standard. However, the ad also says that no previous experience eating sandwiches is required, which does seem a bit odd to us. How else does one become a qualified sandwich expert, if not by eating lots and lots of sandwiches, we wonder?

Image: The Manc Group
sandwich tester

Sharing the roles with followers, a post shared on 200 Degrees Instagram reads: “We have an amazing opportunity to join the 200 Degrees Family (well, for one day only)

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“We’re unleashing our brand-spanking-new menu and are now searching for an exceptional human to join the team as our Sandwich Tester.

“If you have a passion for sandwiches, this could be your perfect role.”

Those wanting to apply are instructed to pile on in the comments and tell the coffee shop why they would be the best choice for the sandwich testing job – and there already seems to be some stiff competition.

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Read more: A Fawlty Towers dining experience is coming to Greater Manchester

One person said: “I spend my whole life thinking about my next meal and reviewing food all around the UK. Ohhhh and I’m a sucker for a sarnie!!!”

Another said: “I’ll do it! Im the perfect candidate. Always hungry, drink all the coffees, eat all the food categories and I own stretchy pants… I’m also fundraising manager for Footprints so you’d be support charity too…”

A third added: “Not a day goes by where I don’t eat bread – I have a breadmaking tattoo! Sandwiches are my most common lunch (80% or more), so I think the passion is there. Also photos of me tend to come out alright. Sign me up!”

Read more: Aldi has introduced a new ‘bag search’ policy in its UK stores

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A fourth commented: “Every November and December, I meticulously review every supermarket Christmas sandwich in can find, you can see all of them in the highlight on my page – this may be the actual perfect job for me.”

Applications for the role are open until midnight on 12 August via 200 Degrees Instagram.

Featured image – The Manc Group

Eats

Inside The Black Friar as Salford pub unveils incredible floral display

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Inside The Black Friar as Salford pub unveils incredible floral display

Spring has really sprung in Salford – legendary pub The Black Friar has just revealed a sensational makeover, with gigantic flowers sprawled across its frontage and a new seasonal menu to go with it. 

The historic pub is celebrating the changing of the seasons with both a striking floral installation and a menu that celebrates spring and Salford in equal measure. 

Most Mancs will by now have spotted the 4,000 flower-strong installation that now adorns the front of The Black Friar, with bright pink, yellow and purple flowers spilling from a gigantic pink tap. 

And all those florals continue inside, with the pub’s Tavern – previously a cosy winter hideaway – now filled with trailing blooms and woodland installations, just off their award-winning garden.

Cheshire-based artist Kelly Louise Chapman is the woman behind this sensational transformation of the much-loved gastropub. 

As for the pub’s kitchen, they’ve crafted a new very seasonal and very British menu, with plenty of nods to Black Friar’s Salford roots. 

There are dishes like a Boddingtons braised ox cheek (the pub still proudly displays its Boddingtons sign outside), aged beef tartare, butternut squash and ricotta tortellini, and pan-roasted cod fillet. 

Spring small plates at The Black Friar pub
Spring small plates at The Black Friar pub
Delicious spring drinks
Delicious spring drinks
Inside The Tavern at The Black Friar
Inside The Tavern at The Black Friar

A popular item from the Valentine’s Day menu – the Cornish crab vol-au-vent – will be sticking around on the spring menu, along with an enhanced grill section that includes a lamb Barnsley chop cooked over coals. 

Then for desserts, you’ll be spoilt with a banoffee knickerbocker glory, and passionfruit panna cotta. 

And for drinks (because this is a pub, after all), The Black Friar has put together a range of seasonal drinks like a rose sangria sharer, and non-alcoholic sodas like kaffir lime and coconut. 

Ben Chaplin, head chef at The Black Friar, said: “This new menu is all about celebrating the best of spring produce. 

“We’ve carefully crafted each dish to highlight fresh, seasonal ingredients and bold flavours, adding new depth to our offerings while still delivering the comfort that will always be associated with The Black Friar. 

“My top recommendation and personal favourite dish is the Slow-Cooked Boddingtons Braised Ox Cheek.”

Neil Burke, owner of The Black Friar, commented: “We wanted to bring a taste of spring to The Black Friar, inside and out. This floral installation will transform the space and bring sunshine and smiles, whatever the weather! 

“My top recommendation on the new menu is the Cumbrian Spiced Lamb Scotch Egg. It’s EXCEPTIONAL.”

To find out more about The Black Friar and to book a table, visit HERE. 

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Team behind award-winning Higher Ground to open new Bar Shrimp seafood bar in Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Team behind award-winning Higher Ground to open new seafood bar, Bar Shrimp, in Manchester

Higher Ground, one of Manchester’s very top restaurants, is to open a brand-new seafood bar later this year.

With Bar Shrimp, they’ll be bringing a brand-new offering to town, with cocktails, beers on tap, British seafood and snacks.

Bar Shrimp will come from Daniel Craig Martin, Joseph Otway and Richard Cossins, who at this point are a well-oiled operational machine.

They’re the team behind proudly British bistro Higher Ground, which grows much of its own produce at its Cinderwood Market Garden and earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand within a year of opening.

The same team are also behind Flawd, the beautiful waterside wine bar at Ancoats Marina.

And they’ve cemented themselves as one of Manchester’s most widely acclaimed hospitality teams – even Rick Stein says Higher Ground is one of the best places to eat in the entire country, which is high praise indeed.

Bar Shrimp, set to open in Manchester this winter, aims to be a ‘relaxed and focused bar with delicious food’.

They say: “Whether it’s a beer after work, some food with friends or after dinner drinks late into the night, Bar Shrimp will be a dynamic space where the music and energy evolves throughout the evening where everyone and anyone can come together for a memorable experience.”

They announced the news this morning on Cerys Matthews’ BBC 6Music Show.

British seafood with a side of cocktails? Sounds alright to us.

A location, opening date and more info on Bar Shrimp will follow – stay up to date with their latest HERE.

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Featured image: Supplied

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