A two-day festival full of cooking classes, wellness workshops, and more is coming to Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet this weekend.
The designer outlet has joined forces with Food4Thoughts (F4T) – a nutrition brand co-founded by famed Mancunians Scott Thomas and Eden Thomas – to bring an exclusive wellness weekend to Cheshire, with everything from fitness classes, to live cook-a-longs and workshops led by industry experts across the two days.
Visitors to Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet will also be treated to live entertainment and music by DJ Kieron J, and stars of The Voice, Holly Ellison and Jordan Phillips, as well as receive access to a whole host of exclusive offers too.
You’ll be able to book on to live F4T panel talks from key speakers across the weekend, with local celebrities giving their insight into wellness, healthy eating, and living balanced lifestyles.
The F4T Wellness Festival is taking place on Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 July at Cheshire Oaks / Credit: Supplied
Hosted by Kate Cocker, sessions will feature guests including Emmerdale and Waterloo Road star Adam Thomas, chef and influencer Steph Elswood, and the founder of Men Should Talk Gareth Palmer – with more names soon to be announced.
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Brands including Lululemon, ASICS, adidas, and Under Armour will also be working alongside the expert F4T team for a jam-packed schedule of fitness classes and workshops across the weekend too, so whether you want to test your limits with a HIIT class by F4T’s Commando Charlie, or find your Zen at Lululemon’s meditation sessions, there’s something for everyone to get involved with.
Podcast fans will even be able to enter a competition to secure their spot in the audience of an exclusive live recording of Scott Thomas’ podcast, Learning As I Go.
And that’s not all, as you’ll even get the chance to enter a prize draw worth up to £2,500.
When you enter into the prize draw in the F4T Hub at the Ellesmere Port-based shopping and leisure village, you’ll be in with the chance of winning prizes such as six months of Food4Thoughts membership, £500 to spend at Cheshire Oaks, and a luxe spa experience at the Chester Grosvenor.
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Each entry to the prize draw also gives the option to donate to support Cheshire Oaks’ 2022 charity partner, Flynn’s Port in the Storm – with donations supporting the incredible work that the local mental health crisis café does for those in the community.
“This really is such a special moment for myself and the Food4Thoughts team,” F4T co-founder Scott Thomas said.
“I have visited Cheshire Oaks all my life and to be invited to host our very own F4T Wellness Festival at such a prestigious location really is something else.
The F4T Wellness Festival is taking place on Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 July at Cheshire Oaks / Credit: Supplied
“I’m so happy with the lineup of activations we have confirmed and the brands we have involved for the weekend.
“This is going to be special.”
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Kenny Murray – General Manager at McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Cheshire Oaks – added: “The schedule is packed full with physical and mental workshops, so we can’t wait to see our Centre guests all getting involved over the weekend.”
The F4T Wellness Festival is taking place on Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 July, and you can find more information and book onto free workshops and classes here.
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The Manchester restaurant serving up the ‘world’s hottest curry’ for just a few days
Danny Jones
City centre favourite Zouk is serving up ‘the world’s hottest curry’ again to celebrate National Chilli Day next week.
The popular tea bar and grill located on Chester Street just off Oxford Road is slap bang in the middle of student central and has hordes of patrons lining up day in, day out, to taste their incredible Indian and Pakistani cuisine.
Now, to celebrate every spicy-food lover’s favourite day, Zouk is putting on special, limited-time-only menu to cater to all you heat freaks and speaking collectively on The Manc‘s behalf (several of us having tried it), it’s no joke.
The World’s Hottest Curry will be available for five days from Monday 24 to Friday 28 February, with a challenge on Thursday 27 February with prizes to anyone who can finish the fiery karahi.
The dishes
When it came to coming up with the world’s hottest curry, Zouk didn’t have to look far for inspiration, they simply picked the world’s hottest chilli: the Carolina Reaper Chilli.
Combining the 1,569,000 Scoville scorcher of a chilli with their much-loved and already spicy chicken karahi and vegetable karahi recipes, they knew they were on a winner. You might have to sign a waiver to eat it but that’s all part of the fun, right?
Typically prepared in a wok and cooked over hot flames with tomatoes, ginger, garlic, peppercorns and cumin to create the sauce base, the karahi originates from the Northwest region of Pakistan and has a great flavour. Depending on how brave you’re feeling, you can have it as a kebab or a full curry.
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That being said, this version does contain dried Carolina Reapers so you might not taste much beyond the heat of the sun after a few seconds. While the chilli is deemed suitable for human consumption, even Zouk’s chefs have admitted to struggling with the dish. Gulp. So, what can you win?
The challenge and prizes
Us Brits love a good curry and we already know that plenty of you won’t be able to resist the urge to take on the Reaper Challenge simply out of pride, so we might as well just tell you what you’ll have to eat in order to win the prizes.
Here’s what’s up for grabs:
Finish the full Carolina Reaper Curry (either chicken or veg) in one sitting (max eating time 30 minutes and no helping from companions), Zouk will give you the meal for free.
PLUS, a £50 Zouk Gift Card so you can come back at a later date to try their full menu (including some less omg-spicy options).
You’ll also get a Zouk Ice Cream Sunday to help cool off afterwards. Trust us, you’ll need it.
Issuing a statement for National Chilli Day and the Reaper Challenge, owner Tayub Amjad said: “Our food is usually more about flavour than heat but it’s National Chilli Day, and we know our customers love this challenge.
“For those who complete the challenge, you still have chance to come back and dine on us at a future date, so you will still get to experience the real Zouk too.”
What you thinking, Manchester? Are you up for taking on the world’s hottest curry?
Grammy-winning disco legend Purple Disco Machine is heading to Manchester for a huge gig
Daisy Jackson
Legendary German nu-disco and house producer Purple Disco Machine has a huge Manchester gig on the horizon, hot off the back of the release of his Paradise album.
The Grammy Award-winning artist’s latest release is packed with collaborations from some of the biggest names in music, including Nile Rodgers, Metronomy, Jake Shears, Duke Dumont, Sophie and the Giants, Nothing But Thieves and more.
And now he’s bringing his unforgettable disco vibes to a dance floor on our home turf, with a massive gig lined up at O2 Victoria Warehouse.
Set to take place on Friday 7 March, Purple Disco Machine will promise an incredible night of sizzling dance and house music, with support from Dan Shake, Oden & Fatzo Live!, and Urbi.
His irresistible sound includes hits like Hypnotised, Dished (Male Stripper) and, never one to miss a trend, an addictive remix of I’m Just Ken from the Barbie soundtrack.
His other remixes have included tracks for Dua Lipa, Sir Elton John, Mark Ronson, Calvin Harris, Fatboy Slim and Britney Spears.
And of course there’s that Grammy win for his remix of Lizzo’s About Damn Time.
On Paradise, he’s released tonnes more addictive disco beats, notably Substitution with Julian Perretta, and Honey Boy with Nile Rodgers.
And live, Purple Disco Machine has cut his teeth on the British festival circuit, including recently joining Fisher at his headline Gunnersbury Park show in London.
Now a multi-platinum-selling artist, with more than two billion streams worldwide, the Paradise tour is set to take Manchester by storm.
Purple Disco Machine will be at the O2 Victoria Warehouse in Manchester on Friday 7 March – you can get tickets HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
28th June 2022 
