TO celebrate the 20th anniversary of Manchester Food and Drink Festival we set up a unique photoshoot in Albert Square, perennial hub of this hugely influential event. Assembling 20 key figures in the region’s food and drink industry, before this year's Festival dates were announced, we couldn’t resist asking what they were doing in 1998, when MFDF started…
Simon Shaw
Current restaurant/project: El Gato Negro.
First Festival involvement: 2015.
What was he doing in 1998: “I was living in London, chefing at Harvey Nichols.”
Jane Dowler
Current restaurant/project: Evuna.
First Festival involvement: 2003.
What was she doing in 1998: ““I was working as a Trade Marketing Manager at Sony Playstation.”
Robert Owen Brown
Current restaurant/project: Pop up and corporate events.
First Festival involvement: 1998.
What was he doing in 1998: “I hosted a pop up event in Albert Square, 20 years ago!”
Joe Botham
Current restaurant/project: Levanter and Baratxuri.
First Festival involvement: 2010
What was he doing in 1998: “I was recording with my band.”
David Fox
Current restaurant/project: Tampopo.
First Festival involvement: 1998.
What was he doing in 1998: “I was establishing Tampopo – it’s 20 years old this year too.”
Ross Mckenzie
Current restaurant/project: Blackdog Ballroom, Liars Club, Cane and Grain.
First Festival involvement: 2012.
What was he doing in 1998: “I was working at Reform Restaurant in Manchester.”
Adam Reid
Current restaurant/project: The French.
First Festival involvement: 2014.
What was he doing in 1998: “I was in my second year of High School.”
David Gale
Current restaurant/project: 188 Kitchen and Bar.
First Festival involvement: 2003.
What was he doing in 1998: “I was in London, I had just left Harvey Nichols where I worked with Simon Shaw.”
George Bergier
Current restaurant/project: Sam’s Chop House (sommelier).
First Festival involvement: 1998.
What was he doing in 1998: I was working at The Midland Hotel as the Food and Beverage Services Manager.”
John Slattery
Current restaurant/project: Slattery’s.
First Festival involvement: 1998.
What was he doing in 1998: “We used to have a smaller shop across the road from our current one, doing the same thing as we are now.”
Andrew Nutter
Current restaurant/project: Nutters and The Bird at Birtle.
First Festival involvement: 1998.
What was he doing in 1998: “The restaurant had been open for two years and we had just decided to change the name from French Connection to Nutters.”
Luke (Unabomber) Cowdrey
Current restaurant/project: Volta, Electrik and The Refuge
First Festival involvement: 2012.
What was he doing in 1998: “DJing in nightclubs and watching MTV…”
Claire Kelsey
Current restaurant/project: Ginger’ Comfort Emporium and Milk Jam.
First Festival involvement: 2010.
What was she doing in 1998: “Not cooking. I only started cooking when I was 24. I was working in radio at the time.”
Kate Goodman
Current restaurant/project: Reserve Wines.
First Festival Involvement: 2003.
What was she doing in 1998: “I had just left school and was travelling the world!”
Nacho Linares
Current restaurant/project: Iberica (head chef).
First Festival Involvement: 2015.
What was he doing in 1998: “I was just starting out as a chef, it was my first job that year.”
Harry Yeung
Current restaurant/project: Iberica (head chef).
First Festival Involvement: 1998.
What was he doing in 1998: “Working at the Yang Sing.”
John Thompson
Current restaurant/project: Fox, Hale Barns.
First Festival Involvement: 2003.
What was he doing in 1998: “I was working at 39 Steps in Manchester.”
Paul Jones
Current restaurant/project: Cloudwater Brewing Co.
First Festival Involvement: 2016.
What was he doing in 1998: “I was studying Music Technology in Northenden.”
Mary Ellen McTague
Current restaurant/project: The Real Junk Food Project.
First Festival Involvement: 2007.
What was she doing in 1998: “That was my first year as a chef. I had my first job at the Roadhouse and then I left to start a job at Sharrow Bay in Ullswater.”
Also pictured, is Phil Jones, Festival Founding Director (centre front row) – in 1998 he was, of course, busy establishing the Manchester Food and Drink Festival.
The 2017 Manchester For and Drink Festival runs from September 28 to October 9.