A restaurant in Manchester has been forced to take over half the dishes off its menu next week thanks to an oil shortage that is currently plaguing the country.
In the latest trial to hit the city’s beleaguered hospitality sector, many restaurants are now finding it a struggle to get their hands on one of the industry’s most commonplace cooking products: sunflower oil.
Yuzu, generally considered one of Manchester’s finest Japanese eateries, revealed that it was struggling to get its hands on any of the oil and as such would be cutting over half of the most popular dishes from its menu next week as it was left unable to cook them.
Customer favourites including its deep-fried tempura, katsu, and kara-age will all be unavailable next week, it said, until the restaurant finds a workaround to the cooking oil issue.
Japanese tapas restaurant Yuzu can no longer make a large number of its dishes, including its famous tempura. / Image: Yuzu Manchester
The Yuzu katsu is a hugely popular order at the restaurant, but with sunflower oil in short supply it has been taken off the menu. / Image: Yuzu Manchester
Writing on Twitter yesterday, the restaurant said: “ANNOUNCEMENT. Due to the national shortage of sunflower oil, we are unable to serve all the Tempura dishes (including the Tendon), all the kastu dishes, kara-age and Agedashi Tofu from this week.
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“We will be offering alternative dishes and to test and try those new dishes, we will be closed this lunch time. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused, but will bring new and exciting dishes to you over the coming weeks. There may be hiccups, so please bear with us.”
All of these dishes need to be deep-fried in sunflower oil, and cannot be substituted for other products, such as olive oil, as its flavour impacts too intensely on the delicate balance of the cuisine.
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Given that Yuzu markets itself as a Japanese tapas restaurant and these are nearly all of its most popular dishes, the sudden shortage is alarming for both customers and staff.
Other items, like the Yuzu sashimi, yakitori, gyzoa, yakiudon and teriyaki salmon don bowls are not affected.
A new dish with sliced pork loin cooked in a ginger sauce, added to Yuzu’s menu to help the restaurant trade without its essential sunflower oil. / Image: Yuzu manchester
To help keep customers happy, Yuzu is trying to add new dishes to its menu that can be cooked without sunflower oil.
Sunflower oil is a major export of both Ukraine and Russia and the shortage is being blamed in part on the war that is currently being waged between the two countries.
According to Jakarta trade association the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries, 73 per cent of the global sunflower oil market comes from Ukraine and Russia.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “A significant proportion of sunflower oil supply comes from Ukraine and we are working on measures, including the substitution of sunflower oils with other vegetable oils, to help address the immediate supply chain challenges.
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“We do not expect any significant direct impact on UK food supply. However, we will continue to speak with the industry to understand any potential pressures.”
Feature image – Yuzu Manchester
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NHS says it’s battling with ‘worst case scenario’ as flu cases surge nationwide
Emily Sergeant
Flu hospitalisations have surged by more than half in just one week, plunging the NHS into the ‘worst case scenario’.
Shocking new figures have revealed that an nn average of 2,660 patients per day were in a hospital bed with flu last week, which is the highest-ever for this time of year and up 55% up on last week – which, when put into perspective, means there are enough flu patients each day to fill more than three whole hospital trusts.
NHS bosses have warned that the total has already increased sharply since the week covered by the data, and at this time, there is thought to be no ‘peak’ in sight.
These new figures come as demand for A&Es and ambulance services are already soaring.
The number of patients in hospital with flu has risen by over 50% in the last week, reaching a record number for this time of year – and numbers continue to grow.
New monthly figures showed that A&E attendances were a record for November at 2.35 million and more than 30,000 higher than November 2024, while there were 48,814 more ambulance incidents compared to last year.
The record-breaking demand also comes just ahead of thousands of resident doctors going on strike this week from 17-22 December – with ‘major disruption’ expected for patients ahead of Christmas.
The public are advised to attend any planned appointments scheduled during the strikes, unless they have been contacted to reschedule.
Primary and urgent and emergency care services will continue to be available for those who need them, during the industrial action.
NHS says it’s battling with the ‘worst case scenario’ as flu cases surge nationwide / Credit: Pxhere
The public should use 111 online as their first port of call for urgent but not life-threatening issues so that they can be directed to the best place for their needs, while patients who need emergency medical care should continue to use 999 or come forward to A&E as normal.
“With record demand for A&E and ambulances and an impending resident doctors strike, this unprecedented wave of super flu is leaving the NHS facing a worst-case scenario for this time of year – with staff being pushed to the limit to keep providing the best possible care for patients,” commented Professor Meghana Pandit, who is the NHS National Medical Director.
“Even worse, it continues to rise and the peak is not in sight yet, so the NHS faces an extremely challenging few weeks ahead.
“We have prepared earlier for winter than ever before, and stress-tested services to ensure people have a range of ways to get the help they need and avoid needing to go to A&E.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting described the flu surge as a ‘tidal wave’.
“We are working with the NHS to make sure it is able to cope with this as best as possible,” he concluded.
Featured Image – Stephen Andrews (via Unsplash)
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Erling Haaland dresses up as Santa and hands out Christmas presents in Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
Manchester City star Erling Haaland has doubled as Father Christmas in his latest YouTube stunt, dressing up as Santa and handing out presents to local kids in the new episode.
We’re starting to think he might be one of the most likeable footballers on the planet right now.
The Norwegian footballer recently surpassed Alan Shearer’s ‘fastest to 100 goals record’ in the Premier League and has been well and truly back to his best as Man City continue to rediscover their form, but the big blonde number nine has been delighting both on and off the pitch of late.
For starters, even before any of the season’s givings began, we got the giggle just from our first glimpse of the thumbnail.
Yes, Haaland definitely has a habit of leaning into the humorous side of his celebrity status, having already dressed up as the Joker for Halloween in one of the first episodes published on his still relatively new YouTube channel.
However, the 25-year-old got up to some more heartwarming activities this time around, swapping the face paint, green wig and stripey suit for a red coat, hat, some little glasses and a big white beard.
With the video itself showing him getting into character and loading his car with a sack full of presents, he then goes on to visit multiple houses to dish out the surprise gifts.
While the title and description state that he drove around the streets of 0161, it’s hard to tell where exactly he went, but we’d guess it was more around Alderley Edge and/or the Cheshire side of the Greater Manchester borders.
One particular interaction between the disguised Blue and a young Red certainly produced a harmless little bit of comedy…
Either way, on the whole, this particular instalment was more wholesome than it was funny, and it’s always nice to see sports personalities and famous people spreading kindness.
Obviously, not everyone can afford to be as generous as a Premier League and world-famous international athlete, but it’s nevertheless a nice touch.
Georgina Pellant -
3rd May 2022 
