THE Northern Restaurant and Bar hospitality trade show’s central NRB Debate generated the oxygen of publicity this year when it put Gary Neville and Michael O’Hare centre stage at Manchester Central.
Together the pair are currently shaking up the city’s high end dining scene. Already the collaboration of footballer turned property developer and Michelin-starred (in Leeds) maverick chef has yielded space age Asian restaurant The Rabbit In The Moon at the top of Urbis (where you can taste dishes such as Pain au Unagi below) with a further two eateries in the pipeline when they reopen the historic Stock Exchange as a boutique hotel – The Man Who Fell To Earth and Are Friends Electric?
O’Hare is aiming for the stars. He told the audience of professionals at the ticket only event: "I'd say that with the restaurants in Manchester, in particular The Man Who Fell To Earth, I'm looking to be at a two-Michelin star standard – even if I haven't got a single Michelin star in there."
He was quick to defuse accusations of arrogance: “It's a sense of self worth. I've been to other restaurants where I've thought, 'they're so far above me.' And I've been to restaurants where I've thought, 'I'm better than them.' If you just go to be the best you possibly can be, or the best your team can be, then you know yourself that you're at that standard."
That was the case with The Man Behind The Curtain, which was awarded a Michelin star in 2015 shortly after his high profile success on BBC’s The Great British Menu.
O'Hare said he already knew the kitchen was destined for stardom. "I opened a bottle of Champagne with the guys from The Man Behind The Curtain four months before we got the star, because I knew we were a Michelin star kitchen, a Michelin star restaurant.From where I've eaten, from feedback from guests, you know where you're at."
Should we worry about not holding an actual star in Manchester then, Michael?
"If it's out of your control there's no point in worrying about it, all you can do is make your product better until you firmly believe you're at that level. And if someone else says it is then that's great, but if you knew it yourself first, you'll be a lot happier – it shouldn't be a shock when it happens."
The Debate is a £55 head plus VAT ticket-only talking shop off the main hall, squarely aimed at the professionals who flock to NRB hoping to enhance their business skills, not court controversy. Neville along with fellow United legend Ryan Giggs has done just that as their GG Hospitality group seeks to impose their St Michael’s development (CGI image above) on the city centre.
Neville stuck to his guns in the Debate, saying "The junction with Bootle Street and Southmill Street is not good enough. I'll say that openly, I'll be frank about it, I'll say it with the architect in the room. I'll take responsibility for it because it's my development, it's my vision.
"It's not good enough. We have to correct that. We have to activate those streets. Those streets suffer incredibly and we have to bring them back to life. There are things we have to do that will make that scheme better but the principles, the fundamentals – the scale, the height – we believe in."
Opponents of the scheme English Heritage are unlikely to give the pair a gong anytime soon, but the NRB named then in their Top 50 power list, announced after the Debate.
ToM had struggled to stay awake during the early part of the debate – minus Neville and O’Hare – subject ‘Are non-exec directors a good thing? Consolation came from some excellent Rhone wines provided by Gatley-based importers Boutinot.
So is Rabbit In The Moon delivering Michelin class food? Check out Taste of Manchester’s verdict: Early days yet.