Five of Manchester’s most popular restaurants went head-to-head – here’s what went down
The Manhester hospitality scene reunited after a challenging eighteen months for a unique new competition called CREATE - pitting teams against one another in the ultimate cook-off
Following a tough old time for Manchester’s hospitality, it’s been great to see the return of competitions to the scene this year.
Many customers might not realise it, but competitions are often the lifeblood of the hospitality industry – bringing together chefs or bartenders from different venues to create innovative dishes, often winning huge cash prizes or trips away to far-flung exotic locations.
Of course, everything’s been on hold for over a year and a half – and many of the staff haven’t even been able to go to work for a lot of that, let alone compete in a competition.
So for them to be back competing, at last, is a wonderful thing.
The Alchemist created a Squid Game-inspired dalgona candy for judges to etch out / Image: The Manc Group
The dalgon candy was an extra, served alongside cocktail ‘The Game’ and a plate of mussels / Image: The Manc Group
This year, a new one has emerged called CREATE – bringing together servers, chefs, and bartenders from some of the city’s best establishments to compete as one, in a change from the typical format.
The brainchild of Edgrington UK, which has a portfolio of brilliant spirit brands like The Macallan, Maker’s Mark and Roku, unlike many hospitality competitions, the inaugural CREATE competition focused just as much on teamwork as it did on the individual drinks and dishes – matching venues with a brand that they incorporated into both their food and drink entries.
The Manc was invited down to help judge alongside Class Bar Magazine editor Hamish Smith and senior whiskey specialist Michael Green- and we were treated to some incredible drinks, dishes, and concepts, as five of the city’s most popular restaurants showcased the very best they have to offer.
Taking part was NQ bar and restaurant Tariff and Dale, Spinningfields’ Australasia, The Alchemist, King street restaurant Tast, and The Botanist – each showcasing their own unique offerings in teams of three.
Each dish was introduced by a server, before being brought out for the judges to sample. Marks were awarded equally for service, food and drinks, with a number of optional bonus points then awarded once all the entries had been seen.
Australasia
Kombu buttered poached lobster, Roku beurre blanc, yuzu, and caviar / Image: The Manc Group
Salted duck egg chawamnushi, schezwan pepper ice cream, mountain pear and cherry blossom / Image: The Manc Group
First up was Australasia, represented by Gavin, with a main of Kombu buttered poached lobster, Roku beurre blanc, yuzu, and caviar; followed by a dessert of salted duck egg chawamnushi, schezwan pepper ice cream, mountain pear and cherry blossom.
Beautifully executed, it set a strong example for everyone to follow, served alongside two elegant cocktails – one served in a Japanese tea set over pebbles that smoked with a little help from some dry ice.
The Alchemist
Next came The Alchemist team, represented by Norbert, with its signature smoke and mirrors take. Despite working with blended Japanese whiskey Toki, they went for a South Korean Squid Game concept with an overarching theme of death.
The Alchemist produced a signature smoke and mirrors take – including actual smoke / Image: The Manc Group
First came mix-and-match dry ice cocktails in test tubes, aptly called ‘The Game’ and served with a Dalgona candy challenge and (sadly, a little gritty) mussels with herb brioche crust; followed by a Midori sour and a rather uninspiring blanquette of lamb neck served with boiled rice.
The Botanist
Third up was the Botanist, represented by Dan. Impressing the judging team with a theme of sustainability that ran throughout the menu, the team took an unusual approach by having their bartender set the tone for the first course with a dish created to match, whilst the second was headed up by their chef.
Seared scallops ‘ceviche’ with charred grapefruit, sweetcorn sauce and Maker’s Mark salted caramel popcorn / Image: The Manc Group
Locally-sourced sirloin with a kimchi crust, black garlic and Maker’s Mark sauce / Image: The Manc Group
A cocktail of mango, Maker’s Mark, fino sherry, lime, quince and cardamom (called Trade Route) paired beautifully with the first dish: seared scallops ‘ceviche’ with charred grapefruit, sweetcorn sauce and Maker’s Mark salted caramel popcorn. However, it was the economical use of every part of the mango, from the fruit’s leather being used as a coaster to the seed being planted in the bartender’s garden that really made the entry stand out.
Followed by a pretty plate of perfectly-pink Maker’s Mark soused locally-sourced sirloin with a kimchi crust, black garlic and Maker’s Mark sauce, taramasalata, glazed savoy and ox cheek, alongside a coconut-washed Maker’s Mark cocktail, the whole thing was a huge hit and, ultimately, secured The Botanist a firm second place.
Tarrif and Dale
A refreshing cocktail to pair with Sardinian Haggis culurgiones / Image: The Manc Group
Fourth came casual dining spot Tarrif and Dale, represented by Luca. Working with Highland Park, the team married their chef’s Sardinian heritage with the whiskey brand’s Scottish roots: creating a beautiful stuffed pasta dish of haggis, potato and Blue Murder cheese culurgiones.
Highland ingredients ran throughout the drinks too, with the second course ending on a dessert of Forest Mille-Feuille, orange custard and Girolles mushrooms – served alongside a similarly custardy dessert cocktail. Their server may have forgotten most of her spiel, but her friendly manner of coming down to the judges level (and her tartan skirt) definitely set her apart.
Tast
And, last but not least, came high-end restaurant Tast – working with The Macallan and represented by Julia.
Chilli lobster and whiskey sauce with sea lettuce, pork chin, Chinese seaweed bread, herbs emulsion, and lobster coral hollandaise / Image: The Manc Group
A starter of salmon, apple, fennel and whiskey, with smoked salmon, whiskey caviar, fennel and apple puree, apple and whiskey air, dill / Image: The Manc Group
A melt in the mouth starter of near-raw, buttery soft seared salmon married with whiskey caviar, fennel and apple puree, apple and whiskey air, and dill harmoniously. Served alongside a twist on an old fashioned one judge likened to an apple crumble, it was a great success – so much so that I forgot to take a picture until I’d already eaten half of it.
Finishing off with a dish of chilli lobster and whiskey sauce, sea lettuce, pork chin, Chinese seaweed bread, herbs emulsion and lobster coral hollandaise, paired simply with a sparkling dry cocktail, it soon became clear that Tast was going to take home the gong that day.
The results
Once the scores were drawn up, it was confirmed – and charmingly, when the CREATE winner was announced, the Tast team acknowledged their fellow competitors before all joining together for a photograph.
Coming at a time when collaboration in the industry has been more necessary than ever, it was brilliant to see all the teams present as they would in their venue, right down to the introduction of dishes by a server.
Whilst often in hospitality there are clear lines drawn between the bar, floor and kitchen, following a year in which everyone has needed to work more collaboratively than ever, CREATE competition came at the perfect time – showcasing a mixture of casual and fine dining restaurants at their very best.
We can’t wait for the next one.
Feature image – The Manc Group
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Here & Now – The Steps Musical is coming to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A musical inspired by pop band Steps is coming to Manchester this year, and the principal cast for Here & Now has now been confirmed.
The musical features Steps’ most beloved hit songs, including Tragedy, Heartbeat, Stomp, the One For Sorrow, Better Best Forgotten, 5,6,7,8, Last Thing On My Mind, Love’s Got A Hold Of My Heart, Chain Reaction, and many more.
The story is set in seaside superstore Better Best Bargains, where it’s Friday night, the vibe is right, and everyone’s dancing in the aisles.
But when Caz discovers the shelves are stocked with lies and betrayal, the summer of love she and her friends dreamed of suddenly feels like a tragedy. Have they all lost their chance of a ‘happy ever after’? Or does love have other plans in store…?
Here & Now has an original book by Shaun Kitchener and is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, with choreography by Olivier Award-winning Matt Cole and Matt Spencer-Smith as musical supervisor, orchestrator and arranger.
The show is produced by Steps themselves, ROYO, and pop legend Pete Waterman.
Producers have now confirmed that Rebecca Lock will star as Caz, returning from the original run in Birmingham.
Here & Now – The Steps Musical is coming to Manchester
Finty Williams will play Patricia, Blake Patrick Anderson will be Robbie, River Medway (fan favourite on the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, BBC) is Jem, Edward Baker Duly (The King and I) as Max and John Stacey as Lesley.
There are new cast members joining the principal cast too, including Jacqui Dubois (Ghost The Musical UK tour) as Vel, Chris Grahamson (NOW That’s What I Call A Musical UK and Ireland tour) as Gareth and Rosie Singha (& Juliet UK and Ireland tour) as Neeta.
Set design by Tom Rogers, costume design by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Adam Fisher, wigs, hair and makeup design by Sam Cox, casting by Will Burton for Grindrod Burton Casting, Music Technology by Phij Adams with Production Management by Setting Line.
Steps are one of the biggest pop bands of a generation, made up of Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian ‘H’ Watkins, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee.
In their career they achieved 14 top five singles, four number one albums, 22 million record sales, 500 million streams and 11 sold-out national arena tours.
Steps’ 2017 comeback tour was one of the biggest pop tours of that year, with 300,000 tickets sold, and they’ve continued to release new music.
You can find out more about Here & Now and book tickets HERE.
All the talented winners of this year’s Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting
Daisy Jackson
The winners of this year’s Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting have been announced, as the major award continues to elevate new voices.
This year’s overall winner is British-Nigerian writer Tolu Okanlawon, with his debut play SHOOTERS, which follows African American photojournalist Gordon Parks as he documents the lives of a group of teenage boys in 1940s Harlem for Life Magazine.
In his play, Tolu focuses on the question of who has the right to tell another person’s story, delving into themes of power, vulnerability and accurate representation.
Tolu has received a £20,000 award at the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, with the winners announced at a glittering ceremony at the Royal Exchange Theatre last Monday.
Previous winners of the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting have included Phoebe Eclair-Powell, Duncan Macmillan, Alistair McDowall, Janice Okoh, Nathan Queeley-Dennis and Katherine Soper.
This is a landmark year for the Prize, which is marking its 20th anniversary and celebrating the long-standing collaboration between Bruntwood (one of the UK’s leading commercial property developers), The Oglesby Charitable Trust, and the renowned Royal Exchange Theatre.
Also announced at the ceremony are the winners of this year’s Prize categories, which champion writers across the globe and at all stages of their playwriting careers.
The Judges Award, and a £10,000 prize, went to Przewalski’s Horses by Silva Semerciyan, which follows a woman fleeing war-torn Kyiv as she seeks refuge with her estranged grandmother in the radioactive wilderness of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
She has previously been shortlisted for the Bruntwood Prize, and for the Off West End Awards.
Jesús I. Valles, a queer Mexican immigrant writer-performer from Texas, won The International Award with SPREAD, which follows a group of boys in 9th grade as they navigate the balance of childhood and the ever-present push of adult pressures.
R Lady’s by Daisy Miles received the North-West Original New Voice Award and Residency.
The Stockport-born writer is currently training with the Royal Exchange Theatre’s Young Company of Writers, and R Lady’s is her first full-length play.
The Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting event at the Royal Exchange Theatre
For the first time, a special commendation has also been awarded as part of the North-West Original New Voice Award, to disabled, hard of hearing, neurodivergent writer and actor Terri Jade Donovan, who was recognised for their play DOG DOG DOG – an unpredictable exploration of the impact of childhood trauma and neglect.
Terri was awarded a £5,000 grant.
Selina Cartmell, Artistic Director at the Royal Exchange Theatre and judge for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, said: “As a judge for this prize in its landmark 20th year, I’ve had the extraordinary privilege of reading work that has challenged, surprised, and moved me in equal measure.
“Our 15 shortlisted writers represent something remarkable – the courage to imagine different worlds, to ask uncomfortable questions, and to trust us with their most profound creative insights.
“Each script on our shortlist offers a unique window into who we are as a society, and more importantly, who we might become. SHOOTERS is an extraordinary play beautifully crafted by Tolu Okanlawon, a huge congratulations to him, to our other winners and to every writer who has shared their bold visions with us.
“None of this would be possible without the remarkable partnership between the Royal Exchange Theatre, the Oglesby Charitable Trust, and Bruntwood. So, let’s celebrate our shortlisted writers, honour our partnerships, and look forward to a future filled with the stories we haven’t yet imagined.”
Chris Oglesby, CEO of Bruntwood, added: “The Bruntwood Prize was born out of a deeply held passion that my parents had for theatre, in particular the Royal Exchange, and their recognition that a vital part of its ecology was new writing.
“20 years later, we are still uncovering incredible new stories and brilliantly talented new writers. The success of this Prize is testament to the wonderful partnership both the Oglesby Charitable Trust and Bruntwood have with the Exchange and is proof that philanthropy is about so much more than making a donation.
“Together we have created a Prize that now has international reach, putting Manchester on the map as a home for phenomenal new writing.
“The Prize has continued to champion and recognise the hard work of writers and the impact that plays can have on those who watch them. Today, we get to celebrate more winning writers, and I cannot wait to see what they do next.”
You can find out more and see all the winners HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
26th November 2021 
