Five of Manchester’s finest and best-loved restaurants are battling it out in a unique cooking and cocktail and service competition on Wednesday 20 October.
As part of Edrington UK’s ‘CREATE’ project – an advocacy programme highlighting the strength in collaboration between the kitchen, the front of house, and the bartender teams – the chefs and bar staff at Australasia, Tast, Tariff & Dale, The Alchemist, and New World Trading Company – who own The Botanist – have been prepping and practicing ahead of the brand-new competition that’s challenging them to think differently about spirits.
The chefs and bar staff have been tasked with coming up with some tasty dishes and cocktails that each use a different brand of spirit, and these will then be expertly presented by the front of house to an exclusive, industry-leading judging panel on Wednesday.
Forget wine, the chefs taking part in CREATE will be cooking with Highland Park single malt whisky, Roku gin, and more.
CREATE is focusing on the importance of food pairing and service when creating the perfect consumer experience.
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It may be a competition, but this one-of-a-kind project has also given the participants one-on-one time with CREATE’s industry experts to allow for mentorship and coaching ahead of the big day.
CREATE’s founders say the project is about “crafting the spirit in food, together”.
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The restaurants and bars have been tasked with coming up with some tasty dishes and cocktails that each use a different brand of spirit / Credit: The Manc Group
The Manc’s very-own Food & Drink Editor, Georgina Pellant, will be on the judging panel at the competition – which is taking place at the neutral venue of Hilltop Country House in Macclesfield.
And our presenter and food-enthusiast, Joe McGrath, was also lucky enough to get to chat with two chefs and one bartender last week to find out how they were getting on in preparation for the big day and even get to sample some of the amazing food and drinks they’ve created and perfected using their chosen spirit.
The lucky winner of the competition will get some amazing prizes that will benefit the team at the restaurant, with features in CLASS Magazine, bespoke bar kits, and first-class butchery courses all up for grabs.
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Edrington UK will also be taking five of the winning accounts front of house staff through WSET Level 1 in Spirits.
All the restaurants taking part will get to make valuable connections and build long-lasting relationships with Edrington UK’s committed customers too.
CREATE kicks off at 9am on Wednesday 20 October at Hilltop Country House.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Food & Drink
Joe & The Juice to open even MORE locations in Manchester city centre
Daisy Jackson
Joe & The Juice is set to launch yet more juice bars and coffee shops in Manchester city centre.
The viral brand used to have a spot in town within the former Debenhams building, but vanished from Greater Manchester when the department store folded.
But its comeback has been remarkable since reopening in town last year, with the number of Joe & The Juice locations now at an all-time high.
And there are even more on the way…
Bright pink hoardings have appeared on a corner unit on Princess Street, right off St Peter’s Square, teasing a new Joe & The Juice cafe in the city centre.
The unit has been empty for at least 10 years, despite being in such a prime part of the city centre.
Plans were also revealed last year for the Danish-based brand to open within the reopened Sunlight House on Quay Street.
Joe & The Juice is coming to St Peter’s Square in ManchesterJoe & The Juice on Cross Street
The new additions will bring the number of Joe & The Juices in Greater Manchester to five, adding to their existing portfolio of Cross Street, Manchester Airport T2, and the Trafford Centre.
The brand is known for its signature menu of juices, smoothies, health shots, coffees and matchas, plus its viral Scandi-inspired sandwiches like the Tunacado.
With more than 300 juice bars and coffee shops around the world, Joe & The Juice’s pink branding has become a familiar site globally since its launch in 2002.
An exact opening date for the new St Peter’s Square Joe & The Juice hasn’t been revealed yet, but the signs promise it’s ‘coming soon’.
Inside the new Manchester food hall opening in a Grade II-listed building
Daisy Jackson
The operators behind a brand-new food hall in Manchester city centre have shared a glimpse inside.
Work is underway to transform the Grade II-listed Ducie Street Warehouse into an enormous food hall concept, with 11 kitchens plus an outdoor terrace, mini cinema, tequila bar, and game rooms.
When it opens this summer, Manchester Street Food will also have a self-service beer tap wall and two stages, as well as a 75-cover private hire space.
Ducie Street Warehouse closed late last year to make room for the building’s new chapter, as the team behind Edinburgh Street Food (ESF) take the reins.
In new images shared today, original features like the arched brick ceilings and terracotta tiled floors will be retained, but the space will have plenty of colour added in the form of murals, painted pillars, and neons.
ESF is looking to expand right across the UK over the next five years, kicking off here in Manchester on the edges of the Northern Quarter.
The 15,000 sq ft internal space, just a stone’s throw from Manchester Piccadilly, will have space for 450 people inside plus another 180 on the south-facing terrace outside.
The games room at Manchester Street FoodThe 32-seat cinemaInside Manchester Street Food
A winter garden will host breakfast service, while guest traders will take over the terrace to keep the offering fresh.
The existing 32-seat mini cinema in the building will be retained in the new plans for Manchester Street Food.
Manchester Street Food is expected to generate 180 employee opportunities.
Ben MacMillan, ESF Managing Director, said: “Manchester has always been a city with incredible energy, creativity and a love of food, so bringing our concept here in this stunning venue is a natural and exciting next step.
“We want to create a space brought to life by local artists which celebrates the city’s culture and provides line up independent traders and brewers a city centre platform to shine.
“We’ve seen how much people embraced the spirit of ESF in Edinburgh and we know Manchester, with its energy and hunger for innovation will take it to another level. We’re incredibly excited about making the city our second home.”
Emily Sergeant -
19th October 2021 
