CONGRATULATIONS to Dominique Ashford, dessert development chef at Manchester House, for seeing off 13 rivals in the first Ultimate Eccles Cake Off, held at Solita Didsbury (above). Her Eccles cake featured chocolate, cheery and stout with a stout cream (apologies for the Tweeted picture!)
The event, organised by food blogger Hungry Hoss and featuring many of the North West’s top chefs, raised over £2,000 for Manchester homelessness charity Not Just Soup – founded by Solita restaurateur Franco Sotgiu to encourage restaurants to cook in rota for the city’s homeless – and Petal Cancer Research, Dominique’s charity of choice.
The panel judging some unusual takes (check out the one above) on the traditional Lancashire delicacy comprised Hungry Hoss, Northern Restaurant and Bar show CeO Thom Hetherington, Marc Wilkinson, Michelin-starred chef patron of Fraiche on The Wirral, and The Guardian’s Tony Naylor. The event was sponsored by Bookers, R. Noone & Son, Boutinot Wines, Amato Products and Cave Direct Beer.
Solita Didsbury, 10-12 Warburton Street, Manchester M20 6WA.