The Lowry Hotel’s River Restaurant is currently recruiting for the city’s first ever ‘five star foodie panel’ to sample and review the restaurant’s newest dishes all from the comfort of their own home.
Do you fancy yourself as the next Jay Raynor? Do you know your velouté from your vichyssoise?
As The River Restaurant is needing feedback on its exclusive new @HOME Package – which includes all the ingredients to cook five courses at home with a bottle of wine to share between two – food-loving Mancunians are now being encouraged to submit their application to join the city’s hottest new review panel.
No foodie CV is necessary, just a passion for good eats.
@HOME by The Lowry is a new dining concept which allows customers to enjoy restaurant quality food at home via a click-and-collect service, so for those not selected as a panel member you can still enjoy the luxury of five-star cooking with the @HOME Dining Package, which is priced at £60 for a five-course meal for two people and a bottle of wine.
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The five lucky applicants chosen to sit on the hotel’s first ever panel will receive a personalised @HOME packages each month.
With menus curated by award-winning Executive Head Chef Dave Ashton, successful applicants will get to taste different sumptuous dishes and accompanying wines between October and December 2020, with the expectation the role will continue in to 2021, and, if that wasn’t enough, they will also be able to enjoy exclusive hotel member benefits, which includes a complimentary overnight stay at The Lowry Hotel to indulge in five star luxury.
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All they’ll be expected to do for the role is finish off the dishes at home using the ingredients provided, and rate the dishes using the #LowryLifeatHome hashtag on Instagram or Twitter.
It is a friends or work colleagues birthday or special occasion soon?
There is no better way to celebrate than @ HOME by The Lowry Hotel.
Choose from afternoon tea, Sunday lunch or the dining package.
Dave Ashton – Executive Head Chef at The Lowry Hotel’s River Restaurant – said: “We’ve been hard at work in the kitchen, developing and testing a five-star dining experience which people can enjoy at home.
“We have successfully launched our @HOME afternoon tea and Sunday roast service, but now we need your help to tell us what you think of our new deluxe dining package and menu changes.
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“Manchester’s food scene is constantly growing, and we need people like you, who love good food, to tell us what you think of our new menu and help make it even more delicious. Our dining package changes on a monthly basis, so you will sample five different dishes each month paired with a bottle of wine for you and your lucky plus one.
“We look forward to hearing your thoughts and evolving the menu for the following month based on your feedback.”
To be in with a chance of being selected for the role, you’ll need to follow The Lowry’s Instagram account – @thelowryhotel – and send an email to [email protected] with your name, Instagram or Twitter account handle, proof of age, and 150 words explaining why you think you should be selected.
You have until Sunday 8th November to get your applications in.
Members will be chosen by a panel of judges comprised of two representatives from The Lowry Hotel.
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Don’t worry if you’re not chosen for the role though, because The River Restaurant’s @HOME service also includes a bubbly afternoon tea – which will set you back just £50 for two people – and includes a fully-prepared afternoon tea spread, including tea from the Manor and a bottle of Prosecco, and even a Sunday lunch option – priced at £40 for two people – which includes the freshest of locally-sourced veg, quality meats, and plenty of mouth-watering gravy.
You can find more information about the @HOME service via The Lowry Hotel website here.
Eats
Students can join a Wagamama ramen-building workshop for just £5 this week
Daisy Jackson
Students will be able to take part in a build-your-own ramen workshop this week, led by everyone’s favourite pan-Asian restaurant group, Wagamama.
The workshops will cost just £5 (all of which will go to a brilliant cause), and will include the time spent creating your perfect meal, the actual food, plus drinks and sides.
Wagamama has teamed up with mental health charity SHOUT to host this cosy ramen-making workshop.
Students will be invited to join Wagamama chefs in the kitchen, selecting their own broth, protein and veggies, with perfectly-cooked noodles, before sitting down at the restaurant’s benches to slurp up their creations with fellow students.
There’ll also be toppings and garnishes including kimchi, tea-stained eggs, chilli oil, spring onions and more.
With merch to take home too, and steaming bowls of the best-ever autumn dish, this is a one-off event you won’t want to miss.
Students can join a Wagamama ramen-building workshop for just £5 this week. Credit: Supplied
Each £5 ticket includes your food and two drinks, plus a variety of the new Wagamama winter sides and sharers.
All money raised will be donated to SHOUT to support the vital services they provide.
A representative from SHOUT will also be in attendance to talk about student wellbeing and the services available from the charity.
Wagamama says: “At Wagamama, we believe having a conversation is one of the most powerful ways you can support someone struggling with their mental health. Whether it’s a quick check-in via text or an open conversation over a bowl of steaming ramen. no chat is too big or too small to make an impact.
Students can join a Wagamama ramen-building workshop with SHOUT this week. Credit: Supplied
“This ethos is one we share with SHOUT, a free, confidential, 24/7 text messaging service for anyone in the UK who needs someone to talk to. After huge demand during Covid, SHOUT’s service has become increasingly essential + today SHOUT is more highly in demand than ever before.”
The Japanese and pan-Asian restaurant is donating £40,000 to SHOUT this year, plus providing perks and rewards for their team of volunteers, and hosting events in their spaces.
The Wagamama ramen-building workshop will take place at the St Peter’s Square restaurant on Thursday 7 November between 2pm and 4pm. You can get your tickets HERE.
Manchester restaurants to add an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
A handful of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.
People in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.
This year, 13 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launched last Friday (1 November).
Manchester independents such as Mana, Climat, 20 Stories, and Tariff and Dale are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre branches chains such as Tampopo, Banyan, BOX, Manahatta, and San Carlo.
StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.
The funds raised by StreetSmart in Greater Manchester this year will support the crucial work of organisations such as CentrePoint, and Akt – a charity supporting LGBTQ+ young people aged 16-25 into safe homes, employment, education, or training.
In 2023, Manchester restaurants alone raised a whopping £25,000 for these life-changing services in the local community.
Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)
“Many of us want to help the vulnerable people in our community during the festive period, and StreetSmart provides an easy way to do this,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.
“We’re grateful to see so many local restaurants stepping forward to help our city’s homeless.
“It’s amazing to witness the kindness that our community has to offer, and see the tangible impact of our efforts and funding in the community.
“This year, we’re proud to be taking another step towards the eradication of homelessness, and look forward to seeing even more restaurants getting involved over the Christmas period.”
Emily Sergeant -
27th October 2020 
