The French at The Midland Hotel has revealed it will host an exclusive dining experience next month with Hubert de Billy from the esteemed Champagne house Pol Roger – but there won’t be anything on the menu for Manchester’s vegans.
Adam Reid at The French is set to host an exclusive dinner next month as the esteemed chef patron joins forces with one of France’s most luxurious Champagne houses.
Taking place on Friday 6 October, diners will be treated to an indulgent four-course dinner pairing Lancashire lad Adam’s stylish Northern cooking with matching wines.
Due to the specific nature of the vent, however, specific dietary requirements will not be catered to on the evening – so vegans are being warned to stay away.
Wines will be introduced and described by none other than Monsieur de Billy, the fifth generation of the family-owned Champagne house and Pol Roger’s great-great-grandson.
ADVERTISEMENT
Founded in 1849, Pol Roger is regarded as one of the finest of all the Champagne houses.
Guests will be given the opportunity to taste the prestigious Pol Roger Champagne, a notable favourite of late Prime Minister Winston Churchill, with some snacks on arrival before digging into a sumptuous four-course meal.
ADVERTISEMENT
At £250 a head, it’s not cheap – but then we are talking about one of Manchester’s most premium restaurants, collaborating with one of France’s most prestigious Champagne houses, so it seems par for the course that you’ll be paying a pretty penny for it.
Starting at 6.30pm, things will kick off with glasses of Champagne and special snacks made by Adam Reid and his team before diners are seated in the plush restaurant for their meal.
Tickets for the event are strictly limited, and due to the nature of this event, specific dietary requirements will not be available to be catered for including vegan and dairy-free diets.
ADVERTISEMENT
Inside Adam Reid at The French, a beautiful space within Manchester’s historic hotel The Midland. / Image: The Manc Eats
Squid ink crackers topped with whipped roe and pickled red pepper that taste just like patatas bravas. / Image: The Manc Eats
Whilst vegans and dairy-free folk might be feeling a bit left out, for the rest of Manchester it’s an opportunity to dine in one of the city’s most famous restaurants.
For those who don’t know the history of The French, in 1974 it made history as the first Manchester restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star.
Back then, it was Chef Gilbert Lefevre at the helm and it really did what it said on the tin – serving opulent plates of escargots, foie gras, and caviar, even committing right down to the menu itself, half of which was printed en français.
The restaurant retained its star for three years, before losing it in 1977, and would go on to have some ups and downs before coming under the stewardship of Simon Rogan in 2013, with its now-Chef Patron Adam Reid working underneath him as Head Chef.
ADVERTISEMENT
Rogan – already then a proprietor of the Umbel group including L’Enclume, Fera at Claridge’s, and Rogan & Co – famously ended his five-year contract with the hotel two years early after failing to get a Michelin star.
That same year, local lad Adam took on the top dog role and in 2017 re-positioned the offering to reflect his own style – essentially making everything more relaxed.
‘The warm Northern welcome’ feat. steaming cups of beef tea served alongside Pollen ‘French malt’ bread and thick pats of beefy butter. / Image: The Manc Eats
Roast Cumbrian lamb loin with flavours of Cinderwood Market Garden and warm Lancashire oven bottom muffins. / Image: The Manc Eats
He dropped the complicated place settings, brought in music so that diners no longer feared dropping their forks, introduced a new chef station in the restaurant, and revised the menu to pay homage to his Lancashire roots.
Under his stewardship, The French at The Midland typically serves an 11-course tasting menu featuring dishes inspired by picky teas, miniature cheese and onion pies, and steaming cups of beef tea served alongside Pollen ‘French malt’ bread and thick pats of beefy butter.
ADVERTISEMENT
This special Pol Roger dinner is a one-off at the restaurant. It marks the beginning of a new chapter at Adam Reid at The French with its chef patron and head chef looking to host more collaborative events going forward.
Featured image – The Manc Eats
Eats
You can now have dinner in the actual dressing rooms at Co-op Live
Daisy Jackson
Co-op Live has now launched exclusive backstage dining experiences – which means you could be having dinner inside the very dressing rooms that have hosted music megastars.
These new groundbreaking new Backstage Private Dining experiences feature menus curated by Simon Rimmer.
This will be the first time that the arena’s most exclusive artist areas have been open to guests.
There’ll be 10 selected dates from May 2026, where ticket-holders can eat dinner in dressing rooms that were previously occupied by the likes of Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen.
Guests will be able to choose from several packages, from intimate receptions and private three-course dinners inside the dressing rooms, to lavish extras like a Bentley chauffeur-driven arrival, live entertainment, and extended backstage access.
The most premium package will also offer access to Co-op Live’s adidas Originals recording studio.
Proceeds from the Backstage Private Dining will go towards supporting Co-op Live’s official charity partner, the Co-op Foundation, which tackles inequality and supports communities across the UK.
Chef Simon Rimmer commented: “Having worked with Co-op Live for some time, it’s incredibly exciting to now be involved with this unique series of Backstage Private Dining.
“It’s a rare opportunity to further combine the world-class music venue with exceptional food, and I can’t wait to showcase how these experiences can come to life together, creating truly unforgettable evenings for our guests.”
Becci Thomson, Chief Commercial Officer at Co-op Live, said: “From day one, our ambition has been to challenge expectations of what an arena can deliver, and we’re now delighted to introduce a new dimension of premium hospitality at Co-op Live.
“This collaboration unlocks new creative potential within the venue, offering experiences that have not previously been possible. It reflects our commitment to innovation and meaningful impact within the communities we support.”
Designed and delivered in partnership with Taylor Lynn Corporation (TLC), Founder and CEO Liz Taylor said: “Opportunities like this are rare. Co-op Live is a venue built for scale, spectacle and ambition — and that’s exactly how we are approaching these events.
“Whether it’s an intimate milestone celebration or a brand hosting at the highest level, these will be immersive, one-night-only experiences designed to deliver real impact. We are proud to have been chosen to help shape this next chapter, bringing creativity, precision and bold thinking to a space that demands nothing less.”
Salford industrial estate bakery with incredible cinnamon rolls to open new site
Daisy Jackson
Mayya Bakery, a local ‘hidden gem’ with incredible cinnamon rolls, is set to open a brand-new bakery that will make it significantly less hidden.
Until now, Mayya has been quietly trading from an industrial estate in Salford, where it’s built a great reputation for its bakes despite an off-the-beaten-track-location and relatively little social media fanfare.
It opened its doors in 2024, operated by former primary school teacher Meli and her husband, dentist Oguz.
This is an artisan bakery with a real Turkish flare, with plenty of comfort food like freshly made gözleme (or gozzies for short) and bigger dishes if you fancy sitting in.
Their counters are stuffed with sweet bakes, like their perfect cinnamon rolls, plus loaves, babka, cookies, and homemade cheesecake.
For bigger dishes, you’ll find breakfast dishes like Turkish eggs, Simit (a traditional sesame bagel) breakfasts, and menemen.
The counters at Mayya Bakery’s current locationIncredible cheesecake at Mayya BakerySigns on Chapel Street Salford for the new Mayya Bakery
And now Mayya Bakery has revealed plans to open a new location in a much more prominent spot in town, with signs appearing in the windows of a unit on Chapel Street.
The sign reads: “Everything is homemade – including this picture.”
It also quips: “They called us hidden gem… not hidden anymore.”
Mayya will open on Chapel Street soon – keep an eye on our food and drink Instagram page The Manc Eats for the latest.
Georgina Pellant -
21st September 2023 
