A MONTH to go to Canto opening in Ancoats, the city’s first Portuguese restaurant since Luso’s demise seven years ago. That was a one-off indie venture, whereas Simon Shaw’s is an offshoot of his hugely acclaimed Spanish restaurant, El Gato Negro, honed in the Pennines before establishing itself on King Street.
The baton at the new Cutting Room Square site has been passed on to the chef who was a key figure at El Gato after joining in 2017 – Carlos Gomes, now head chef at Canto. Simon has no doubts about the quietly spoken Portuguese.
“The man’s a genius,” he tells ToM.“To watch Carlos at work in the kitchen is something else. He has a quiet confidence about him, an attention to detail and pride that’s hard to find. And he delivers it with no theatre, he’s one of the nicest and most unassuming guys you could hope to meet.
The Porto-born 31-year-old has an impressive biography. His passion for cooking started as a young boy when his grandmother introduced him to the kitchen – days Carlos remembers fondly and he credits his family with steering him towards his future career.
At 21 he became a pastry chef at a local restaurant before moving to London as chef de partie of acclaimed Japanese restaurant Koya.Then In 2013 Carlos moved to Michelin-starred Barrafina, where he became head chef three years later, a career-defining moment before he moved to El Gato, first as sous chef, then as head chef.
“I love Manchester,” Carlos told us.“It’s a cliché I know, but the people are so warm and friendly, I felt instantly at home.”
Husband to Anaand father to one, with a second baby on the way, community is important to Carlos. “Growing up in Porto, family is everything. The house was never empty and always full of conversation and it didn’t stop with immediate relatives; friends, neighbours, colleagues… in Portugal we have large extended families.
“Socialising is a big part of our culture – a coffee or small plate shared in a relaxed environment with family and friends, this is how we like to spend our time, and it’s what I look forward to bringing to Manchester.”
Work on the new 120 cover restaurant is well underway, with Canto confirmed to open this September. Located on Henry Street, in the heart of Cutting Room Square, Canto will, like its award-winning sibling, focus on simple, modern, authentic small plates, this time with the emphasis on Portuguese cuisine. These petiscos (tapas equivalents) will be cooked fresh using authentic ingredients. The aim is social dining in a relaxed, casual neighbourhood setting; an ideal fit for Ancoats.