A new Mediterranean and Middle Eastern vegan kitchen is opening above Stockport boozer Crown and Conspirator in Bramhall this month.
Brought to the area by vegan chef James Laving, the new venture will be called OTTO Vegan Empire – a nod to James’s role in former pop-up The Ottö-Men, the mezze street food favourite seen at the likes of Grub, Manchester International Festival’s festival hub and, most recently, Stretford Food Hall.
Dishes are all inspired by James’s travels through the Meditteranean and the Middle East, with some recipes – he confesses – having been ‘mithered’ directly from local elders he’s hassled along the way.
The concept has been created in collaboration with Cheshire Pub Co., and will be ‘the first of many sites’, said Managing Director Matt Parker, with the pub group seeking to expand the new Otto concept across the North West over the next few years.
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The new ‘Sexy Pie’ – baklava pastry, wrapped around eight different roasted confit vegetables and super grains. / Image: OTTO Vegan Empire / The Cheshire Pub Co.
In a concerted move away from the vegan junk food trend popular in Manchester, dishes will instead take inspiration from the Ottoman Empire and celebrate salads, rice, legumes and grains alongside Arabic breads like Khbouz and Manakish, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Dishes will span long-standing favourites like the Otto mezze with Khobez bread and the kitchen’s famous five falafel, alongside the likes of Adriatic-style tomato stew, ‘Sexy Pie’ – baklava pastry stuffed with eight roasted, confit vegetables and super grains – and Otto Veggie Kofta.
Elsewhere, diners will find’ black and wada Hummus’ – a Lebanese variation with toasted black sesame and black garlic, topped with wada batter crunchies and coriander – and a specially-chosen selection of vegan wines.
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The special spice blend, Ras el Hanout, made the OTTO way with Damask rose petals. / Image: OTTO Vegan Empire
In a Facebook post announcing the move, chef James said: “Our Otto menu showcases a groovy and modern take on the traditional.
“I’ve lost count of how many patient elders I have mithered for their homegrown recipes during my travels through the streets and homes of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern villages.
“Otto will offer a cornucopia of flavour, texture and good times to the village of Bramhall. Sustainable, seasonable and locally sourced will be at the heart of everything we do.”
Due to open at the pub from Wednesday 27 April, to find out more and book check out OTTO Vegan Empire’s Instagram here and visit the pub’s website here.
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Rugby legend, ultra-marathon runner, inspiration | Kevin Sinfield — Manc of the Month November 2022
Danny Jones
It’s that time of the month again (no, not that one): it’s time to pick our Manc of the Month for November and while there were plenty to pick from, one man has stood out in the past few weeks.
Kevin Sinfield is the ex-rugby player turned coach, ultra-marathon-runner and mega-fundraiser from our very own Oldham who did something truly amazing earlier this month.
The 42-year-old former loose forward, who currently serves as a defensive coach for the Leicester Tigers in the rugby union, has gone from a Manc-born sporting role model to a national hero thanks to his extremely admirable charity work over the past couple of years.
This bloke is a machine.
Sinfield receiving a standing ovation at Old Trafford (Credit: Man United via Twitter)
Seven ultra-marathons in seven days
For anyone unaware of Sinfield’s latest exploits, the former Leeds Rhinos player and director undertook the immense ‘Ultra 7 in 7‘ challenge earlier this month, tasking himself with the ridiculous feat of running seven ultra-marathons in seven days.
To put that into context, a standard marathon measures just over 26 miles or 42 kilometres; ultra marathons regularly clock in at 50km or more. Sinfield is said to have covered more than 256 miles (approx. 417km), averaging more than 60km a day. Insane.
Finishing the series of ultra-marathons alongside his dedicated team of runners on November 19 at Old Trafford, just in time for the 2022 Rugby League World Cup final, he was met with rapturous applause from the crowd — and rightly so.
The ex-Rhinos and England international set himself the target of raising £777,777 for Motor Neuron Disease in honour of his former teammate and equally inspiring close friend, Rob Burrows. He went on to absolutely smash that goal, amassing an incredible £1.4 million in donations in just a week.
A true MND Champion
To make things even more staggering, this is actually the second time he has completed the Ultra 7 in 7, having done the same back in 2020 and raising a whopping grand total of £2.7m.
Moreover, just last year he put himself through similarly unimaginable levels of strain by running a 24-hour marathon for the first time, raising over £1m for MND in November 2021 alone.
Covering more than double the distance he managed the last time around, raising a total of over £2.3m across his two 7 in 7 ultra runs, it cannot be understated how much he has done for more than five different motor neuron disease charities in just a few short years.
Even before his latest heroics, Sinfield’s contributions to motor neuron awareness and fundraising were recognised by the local ouncil alongside record-breaking rower and Oldham native, Frank Rothwell, who were both bestowed with the little-known ‘Freedom of the Borough’ award back in March.
As for this year’s ultra-marathon challenge, his route saw him trek all the way from Edinburgh, through various parts of Yorkshire and, finally, back down to his home county of Greater Manchester. Not even bathroom breaks could stop him.
Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield (Credit: Sky Sports/MNDA)
Compelled to run and raise as much as possible to support the MND community and honour Burrows, who was diagnosed with the disease back in 2019, Sinfield has made it his mission to help raise awareness and fund research into the rare condition which affects the brain and nervous system.
Joined by peers like footballer Stephen Darby as well as late rugby union colleague and fellow MND suffer Doddie Weir, who sadly passed away just last week, these and many more who supported Sinfield’s campaign have done untold levels of good when it comes to highlighting the disease.
Since beginning his fundraising journey in 2019, Kevin Sinfield has now raised over £7 million for the Motor Neuron Disease Association (MNDA) and related charities through his ultra-marathons and other charitable efforts, a miraculous and potentially fortune-changing amount that could save countless lives.
This absolute hero has already helped raise in excess of £2.6m all told with this year’s Ultra 7 in 7 alone, but if you want to join the millions of people still donating then you can do so HERE.
Hats off to our Manc of the Month, Kevin Sinfield — you’re a legend.
Featured Image — Wikimedia Commons/Hull FC/Leicester Tigers
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This Manchester club has been shortlisted as one of the best in the UK
Georgina Pellant
In a coup for the city’s clubbing scene, a huge venue in Manchester has been shortlisted as one of the best of its kind in the UK by this year’s DJ Mag awards.
Depot Mayfield, the home of Manchester’s infamous party series The Warehouse Project, is the only club in the north of England to make the shortlist – sitting alongside London venues Fabric, KOKO and Printworks, and Glasgow nightclub SWG3.
First opened in 2019, the 10,000 capacity venue has been home to some huge events – including MIF and Skepta’s mind-blowing futurist rave DYSTOPIA987 and Manchester Pride’s inaugural music event Pride Live, as well as innumerable shows for WHP over the past few years.
With three separate stages – Depot, Concourse and Archive – it has been home to an eclectic run of Warehouse Project shows, attracting ravers and gig-goers of all musical persuasions.
Image: WHP MCR
Image: WHP MCR
Now it has been recognised as one of the best large venues in the UK as part of the annual DJ Mag awards, widely considered to be one of (if not the) biggest authorities on the UK dance music scene.
The award ceremony takes place this December 15 in London’s The Steel Yard, in what is the first IRL award show since the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns of 2020 and 2021.
This year marks the 16th edition of the awards, an annual celebration of UK talent. Positioned as a counter-balance to the global Top 100 DJs poll, DJ Mag’s Best Of British awards are a chance to shine a spotlight on the homegrown talent that continues to place the UK scene at the forefront of electronic music.
The 2022 nominations are split across 22 categories, and the awards show in December will also see the return of three editorial choice categories, Outstanding Contribution, Innovation & Excellence and Game Changer.
Also shortlisted in this year’s awards is Manchester’s ‘Baddest of them all’ producer and DJ Interplanetary Criminal, whose BOTA remix with Eliza Rose went viral this year and hit number one in the UK singles charts this September.
Interplanetary Criminal is up for two awards this year – Best Producer and Best Track – showing that Manchester is still at the forefront of the UK music scene, decades after its Hacienda heydays.
You can see the full list of DJ Mag’s 2022 awards and nominations below.
Best DJ
Anz Djrum Palms Trax Patrick Topping Tiffany Calver
Congo Natty Dance System Interplanetary Criminal Loraine James M1onthebeat
Breakthrough Producer
Breaka CeeBeaats Meg Ward Nia Archives Soul Mass Transit System
Best MC/Vocalist
Bandokay MC Chickaboo Ivorian Doll Knucks Novelist
Breakthrough MC/Vocalist
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Bemz Chinx (OS) Iceboy Violet Jim Legxacy ShaSimone
Best Label
AD 93 ec2a Phantasy Sound Trick XL Recordings
Breakthrough Label
All Centre Over/Shadow Pretty Weird Sondela Recordings Time Is Now [Shall Not Fade]
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Best Album
DJ Q ‘Est. 2003’ [Local Action] Hagan ‘Textures’ [Python Syndicate] Hudson Mohawke ‘Cry Sugar’ [Warp] Kelly Lee Owens ‘LP.8’ [Smalltown Supersound] TSHA ‘Capricorn Sun’ [Ninja Tune]
Best Compilation
PinkPantheress ‘to hell with it (Remixes)’ [Parlophone] V/A ”Club Entry’ Vol. 1′ [Borne Fruits] V/A ‘Hospital Mixtape: Lens’ [Hospital Records] V/A ‘Luke Una Presents É Soul Cultura’ [Mr Bongo] V/A ‘Touching Bass presents: Soon Come’ [Touching Bass]
Best Track
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Eliza Rose & Interplanetary Criminal ‘B.O.T.A. (Baddest Of Them All)’ [Warner Records x One House] Hamdi ‘Skanka’ [DUPLOC] Joy O ‘pinky ring’ [XL Recordings] LF System ‘Afraid To Feel’ [Warner Music] Nia Archives ‘Baianá’ [HIJINXX / Island]
Best Remix/Edit
KH ‘Looking At Your Pager’ [Ministry of Sound/Three Six Zero] Michael Bibi ‘La Murga (Michael’s Midnight Mix)’ Nick León ‘Xtasis feat. DJ Babatr (Pearson Sound Remix)’ [TraTraTrax] Tessela ‘Hackney Parrot (Bailey’s Techno Tool)’ Tirzah ‘Tectonic (FAUZIA Remix)’ [Domino]
Best Rap Album/Mixtape
CB ‘A Drillers Perspective 2’ [mayowahd] FLOHIO ‘Out Of Heart’ [AWAL] Horrid1 x Sav’O ‘Violent Siblings’ [CGM Records] Jeshi ‘Universal Credit’ [Because Music] Loyle Carner ‘hugo’ [EMI]
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Best Rap Track
Darkoo ‘Always feat. Black Sherif’ (Prod. by Albert kweku Koranteng) [Atlantic Records UK] Giggs x Tiny Boost ‘The Family’ (Prod. by RichMadeRecords) [Self-released] Kojey Radical feat. Lex Amor ‘War Outside’ (Prod. by Swindle & Kztheproducer) [Asylum Records UK] LD x C1 ‘Hillside Demons’ (Prod. by JS OTP & Hilzz) [24 Hour Ent] Nemzzz ‘2MS’ (Prod. by Wydsonni) [Motown Records UK / EMI]
Best Radio Show
Emma Jean Thackray, Worldwide FM Ellie Prohan, KISS FM Felix Joy Breakfast Show, SWU Pure Spice with DJ Manara, BBC Asian Network Soup To Nuts, NTS
Best Large Club
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Depot Mayfield, Manchester fabric, London KOKO, London Printworks, London SWG3, Glasgow
Best Small Club
Colour Factory, London Night Tales, London Strange Brew, Bristol Sub Club, Glasgow Ulster Sports Club, Belfast
Best Club Event
Club Blanco Distant Planet PXSSY PALACE Teletech Small Talk
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Best Festival
Houghton Festival Naked City Festival Otherlands Music & Arts Festival Outlook Festival UK Queen’s Yard Summer Party
Best Boutique Festival
Field Maneuvers Freerotation KALLIDA Festival No Bounds Festival Watching Trees Festival
Underground Hero Recognising the champions of grassroots music communities
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Double O & Mantra Jeremy Sylvester Lo Shea Man Power Sarah McBriar
Georgina Pellant -
25th April 2022 
