If you’re looking to get stuck into something a little different to kick off October Half Term, then this cookery school in Didsbury has got you covered.
Food Sorcery is hosting its “foodiest weekend ever” this Saturday and Sunday.
If you’re unfamiliar with what Food Sorcery is all about, then down at the school, they host a range of classes – run by a team of professional chefs, all with their own specialist areas of expertise – to give you the opportunity to learn how to create your own restaurant-quality food from scratch at home.
Under the guidance of Food Sorcery’s professionals, you can try your hand at a whole host of cuisines, with everything from Japanese and Sri Lankan, to Thai, Italian and French on the menu.
All classes there are designed to be just as fun as they are informative.
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But what exactly makes this Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 October the cookery school’s “foodiest weekend ever” then? Well, that’s because its playing host to Food Sorcery’s most diverse set of classes yet, with the broadest range of ingredients than ever before.
If you were to travel to all the destinations from around the world that are on this weekend’s cooking agenda, then it would tally up to being over 25,000 miles – not bad for two days in the kitchen, right?
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The jam-packed culinary weekend starts on Saturday in Korea, then visiting Peru with Japanese influences, before going onto a proper Gastropub Sunday lunch in the UK and finally finishing off in the Gujarati region of India to close the weekend.
All you’ll need to do is pick your favourite and join in.
Fancy it then? Here’s just taster of the classes you can stick your name down for.
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Korean Cookery Class
Saturday 23 October
1pm – 4pm | £85
Korean food is some of the healthiest on earth, with an emphasis on vegetables, meats cooked simply and without much oil. It looks beautiful and and is perfect for tasty suppers, so this class offers a mixture of demonstration and hands-on cookery to help you prepare a selection of authentic dishes.
Did you know that Peru has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan itself? This has lead to a fusion of Japanese traditions and Peruvian ingredients, known as Nikkei cuisine – a delicious combination which has influenced chefs everywhere.
This cookery class led by chef Jan Cron brings many of the special cooking techniques to your plate, an explosion of delicate flavours to create something wonderful.
If you love Japanese food and would like to try something new, then this is the class for you.
A gastropub is a hybrid pub, bar, and restaurant, and during this cookery class, you’ll not only take advantage of the chef’s skills showing you how to make pub classics, but also Food Sorcery’s extensive bar and fantastic wine list.
‘Cooking Together’ evenings are the perfect blend of meal out and cookery class – “sociable foodie fun”.
Gujarati vegetarian cuisine originates from Western India and is typically served as a thali – which literally means ‘full plate of food’ – so the dishes cooked during this class are all vegetarian, and simultaneously and distinctively sweet, salty, and spicy.
Chef Nina will introduce curries that many will not have tried before, as well as variations of the firm favourites like dhals and chapatis – be prepared to try something different.
GastroPub Cooking Together & Indian Gujariti / Credit: Food Sorcery
If you’re keen to keep on going, then the fun doesn’t just stop at the weekend as there’s a handful of other classes carrying on throughout half term week too.
Here’s just a few more to get stuck into.
Tastes of Thailand Cookery Class
Thursday 28 October
7pm – 10pm | £85
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Thai cuisine is one of the tastiest foods on the planet, if you ask us – It’s fresh, healthy and potentially mind-blowingly spicy.
At this cookery class – which is a combination of hands-on cooking and demonstration – authentic ingredients are readily available, and the professional chef will explain where and how to source them as you explore the amazing flavours that can be achieved using traditional techniques.
Middle Eastern cuisine is quite-rightly now getting the adoration it deserves, so at this class, you can be inspired with the history and flavours of wonderful dishes, from fabulous falafel that can be used as part of a mezze platter, a light lunch, or a starter to perfect pillowy pilaf that can be the centre piece of a feast and varied with different flavours throughout the year.
‘Cooking Together’ evenings are the perfect blend of meal out and cookery class – “sociable foodie fun”.
A full series of The Celebrity Apprentice is coming to UK screens for the first time ever
Danny Jones
Britain’s much-loved version of The Apprentice is getting its first-ever full celebrity season next year as the series is set to copy the spin-off format seen in the US.
The popular reality TV show competition, where game-show meets the world of business, has been running here in the UK since 2005.
Now coming up 20 seasons and already well over 200 episodes, including specials, the producers have just as much of a challenge coming up with fresh ideas as the contestants do.
With that in mind, the BBC has now ordered the first dedicated The Celebrity Apprentice series, separate from the mainline show and set to run longer than previous iterations.
The I'm a celebrity of the business world. Can't wait. Didn't watch the apprentice earlier this year for obvious reasons but really excited about this. Hope LS isn't soft on them because its charity. https://t.co/o7PK5e2N0w
As confirmed by multiple sources – including one of renowned businessman and host Alan Sugar’s own advisors, Andrew Bloch – the first proper Celebrity Apprentice season will air in 2026.
Bloch explains that it’ll come in the form of a six-episode series that “will see a new line-up of famous faces take on weekly business challenges set by Lord Sugar, competing to avoid the words ‘You’re fired’ and ultimately be crowned The Celebrity Apprentice winner.”
While previous instalments in the celebrity version have either been attached to Christmas specials or the likes of Comic Relief/Red Nose Day in March, this inaugural fully-fledged chapter is set to take place sometime early next year, though an official release date is yet to be announced.
Speaking of seasonal episodes, any viewers who’ve never seen the show or at least not with recognisable household names starring in it, the 2025 festive special will be airing across two parts later this month.
Speaking on the commission, BBC’s Head of Entertainment, Kalpna Patel-Knight, added: “The Apprentice is a much-loved part of the BBC’s entertainment offering, and we can’t wait to see how the celebrity candidates rise to the challenge when the series launches later in 2026.”
The lineup of special guests for next year’s series is yet to be confirmed, but the lineup for the upcoming Xmas episodes is as follows: AJ Odudu, Angela Scanlon, Charlie Hedges, Eddie Kadi, Jake Wood, JB Gill, Kadeena Cox, Matt Morsia, Rob Rinder, Sarah Hadland, Shazia Mirza and Tom Skinner.
Skinner actually took part in the regular show back in 2009, helping launch his public persona, before going on to get involved in social media, appearing on Strictly Come Dancing and even politics.
Have you seen the celeb version of The Apprentice before, and/or will you be watching this one?
A short train ride away to Cheshire, and being a big Man United fan basically counts, if you ask us.
Yes, Warrington’s very own Luke Littler has been named on the shortlist for the 2025 Sports Personality of the Year, quite literally 12 months from his previous nomination.
Littler, who is still only 18, did go on to win the 2024 Young SPOTY last December – a very decent consolation prize following his blockbuster debut year or so – but he has been tipped as a bookies’ favourite this time around.
He’s also been voted for that award again this year, so you’d hope he’d be walking away with at least one of the trophies, though it’d be far from his only one of late.
Since then, the young sporting prodigy has gone on to win all but two of the 10 PDC majors, including two Premier League Darts titles.
In fact, if you want to look at how his arrival onto the senior professional darts circuit breaks down, you can take a gander at the frankly staggering stats behind his breakthrough down below.
As you can see, other nominees include former Manchester City Women’s star Chloe Kelly and Lioness, Hannah Hampton; rugby union and national team member, Ellie Kildunne, F1 favourite Lando Norris, as well as Irish golfer, Rory McIlroy (not for the first time).
We’ll confess we’re very much biased and backing local lad Littler – sue us.
The other Young SPOTY nominees for 2025 include another rising England star in Michelle Agyemang and Northern Superchargers cricket talent, Davina Perrin.
Being hosted over at MediaCityUK in Salford once again, voting will take place during the show on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer on Thursday, 18 December.
Emily Sergeant -
21st October 2021 
