IT’S finally with us. The eagerly anticipated 20th Anniversary Manchester Food and Drink Festival kicks off on Thursday, August 28. Here are 10 unmissable events across 12 action-packed days to tantalise your tastebuds.
Champagne and Oyster Tasting with Randall and Aubin Festival Hub, Albert Square. September 28, 7pm. £15. Learn more about the decadent world of Champagne. Let Manchester’s newest French brasserie, in conjunction with Hallgarten Druitt & Novum wines, enlighten you at an exclusive eveningof bubbly and bivalves. Book early to secure a place as spaces are limited.
MFDF & Tampopo 20th Birthday Party Mayfield Depot, Temperance Street. September 29, 7.30pm. £50. Authentic, independent Pan Asian restaurant, Tamopop, is 20 this year too jut like MFDF. These two iconic Manchester food brands will be celebrating their joint birthday together the only way that both know how…with one great big gastro birthday party in a magnificent location. With DJ sets from Graeme Park, music from Happy Mondays’ Rowetta and lots of fabulous Tampopo food and drink, expect a hedonistic mix of full moon party fun and Manchester icons. Tickets include food, entertainment and welcome drinks.
Ella Mills: Q and A/Book Signing. Festival Hub, Albert Square. September 30, 4pm. Free. Cookery author and entrepreneur Ella Mills will be at the Festival Hub for a Q&A, sharing some of the secrets of her phenomenal success story and signing copies of her book, ‘Deliciously Ella With Friends’.
Nisha Katona: Cookery Demo & Book Signing. Festival Hub, Albert Square. October 2, 12.30pm. Free. Owner of Mowgli restaurants, TV personality and food writer Nisha Katona will be sharing her skills at her first MFDF cookery demo, then signing copies of her new book, ‘The Spice Tree’.
Basque Banquet: Baratxuri Y Comedor, 1 Smithy Street, Ramsbottom. October 3, 7.30pm. £65. Whole fish and big cuts of meat roasted and chargrilled in the pintxos masters’ new Pereruela wood-fired oven. All Asado (roasted) dishes are cut and served at the table with sides and rescoldo veg cooked in the embers of the fire. Tickets from the bar or email [email protected].
Take a Journey Through Spain with Iberica Iberica, Spinningfields. October 4 from 6pm. £45. In a revelatory hands-on Spanish experience, kick off with a chance to mix your own G&T and drink it before learning from head master carver Sergio Escudero all about Jamón Ibérico through a live carving demo while enjoying a glass of bone-dry Manzanilla. Then enjoy head chef Nacho Linares’ bespoke menu including tapas and a dessert to share, with Paella Valenciana as a main course.To match these dishes– two special glasses of boutique Spanish wines.
A perfect match – wine and beer tasting Festival Hub, Albert Square. October 6, 7pm. £25. BBC star and founder of Reserve wines, Kate Goodman meets Cloudwater Beer extraordinaire, Paul Jones. One of the key figures behind Manchester’s micro beer boom, Paul will be teaming up with Kate for the first time to host a fascinating evening exploring the cultural and gastronomic differences between wine and beer alongside the best food pairings for each, provided by Wolf House Kitchen.
MFDF Big Indie Wine Fest Manchester Hall, Bridge Street, October 6 and 7. £15. One of Manchester’s best known buildings, located at the gateway to Spinningfields, Manchester Hall is a Grade II listed building that will be hosting this year’s Big Indie Wine Fest, one of the most popular events at MFDF. With an extra special bonanza of independent wine merchants bringing the highest quality wine, this event is one not to be missed. Serving new wines from Croatia to independent French wines, the event will also host a session of masterclasses including a wine tasting masterclass by the BBC’s Kate Goodman.
Manchester Tart Off and Forever Manchester Bake Sale Festival Hub, Albert Square. October 8, 12pm-6pm. Free. In celebration of 20 years of MFDF, the Festival are resurrecting a competition that was staged in year one – the search to find the best Manchester Tart in Manchester. The people of Greater Manchester will be asked to put their heart into the tart and enter their homemade creations so that the ultimate Tart of Manchester can be crowned. To enter, budding bakers and trainee tarts should email [email protected] On the judging day join us for the annual Forever Manchester Caketober Charity Bake Sale, all proceeds supporting community activity across Greater Manchester. If you would like to bake and donate your wares for the sale contact [email protected]
Goatober at Koffee Pot The Koffee Pot, Oldham Street, October 8, 7.30pm. £40. Darren Goodwin (Grafene), Mary-Ellen McTague (Manchester Art Gallery Café), Richard Sharples (Hispi) and James Whetlor (Cabrito Goat Meat) are cooking a four-course menu using kid goat meat or dairy in every dish. It’s part of an entire month nationwide devoted to celebrating dishes made from male billy goats, which are usually discarded at birth as a waste product of the dairy industry.
Check out the full festival line-up online or pick up a copy of the special birthday brochure across the city.
Sold out events include
Simon Shaw El Gato Pop Up at the Hub
Matt Nutter’s Vegan Banquet at the Hub
Sugo Pasta Kitchen Comes to Manchester at the Hub
And don’t forget public voting for the Manchester Food and Drink Awards is still open on the Festival website until 9am on Wednesday, September 27.