FOOD reviewers are kind-hearted folk. OK, perhaps when a restaurant disappoints they can be a bit poisonous but give them a good cause and they step up, even when it means chefs getting their own back.
Hence Too Many Critics, where the hacks hack it in a professional kitchen and chefs get the chance to stick the Sabatier in. Taste of Manchester has always made its (legit) excuses and chickened out of the annual ‘bloodletting’ to raise cash for humanitarian organisation Action Against Hunger.
But the local regulars are back at the stove for the 2016 event, this time in the swanky surroundings of Fazdenda Spinningfields. You shall know them by the sweat of their brow – Andy Cronshaw, the MEN’s excellent wine critic, Ruth Allan, editor of Manchester Wire, and Manchester Confidential publisher Mark ‘Gordo’ Garner, a man hoping to finish his culinary task before all the Champagne finishes him.
The third Manchester Too Many Critics event takes place at Brazilian churrascaria Fazenda on Monday, March 14 in its usual tie-in with the Northern Restaurant and Bar hospitality trade show at Manchester Central.
However, unlike previous years, this year the critics will not be able to hide in the kitchen. Instead they will select one of Fazenda’s meat cuts and design their very own marinade to accompany it. They will then prepare the meal before carving and serving their dish ‘Brazilian-style’ for each guest at the table, pasadore style.
Our critics will be judged by a room of 150 top chefs and restauranteurs, as they get a rare opportunity to pass judgement on the most influential taste makers.
Chefs judging the critics include Frances Atkins (The Yorke Arms), Aiden Byrne (Manchester House) Andrew Nutter (Nutters Restaurant) and Paul Askew (The Art School). This year’s host is BBC food and wine presenter Nigel Barden, who will also be conducting the live auction.
The winning dish will be available in Fazenda (above) for one week, with proceeds going to Action Against Hunger.
AAH spokesperson Caroline Dyer said: “Last year’s event raised over £16,000 and we hope to raise even more this year. We are really excited for this year’s event as for the first time, we are putting critics out on the restaurant floor, letting guests judge them on something that normally takes years of training for Brazilian chefs. This will be fun!”
The evening will include a sit down dinner at Fazenda Manchester for 150 guests as well as a silent and live auction.
Tomas Maunier, Director at Fazenda Bar & Grill, said: “We’re thrilled to play host to Too Many Critics in Manchesterthis year, it’s a fantastic event and brings together the city’s restaurant community for a truly worthy cause.
“We sometimes can lose perspective and assume that our life with all its comforts is normal. But we are lucky and others are not, that’s why Fazenda is so proud to team up with Action Against Hunger and give something back.”
Early bird tickets are £65 and are available now via this link. All funds raised at the event go to Action Against Hunger – helping them to fund life-saving projects around the globe. Action Against Hunger works in over 47 countries and assists more than 13.5 people every year.