Tampopo has been Manchester’s go-to venue for fresh Far Eastern cooking since it opened 25 years ago. Over the years, they have worked with chefs from around East Asia, perfecting their authentic recipes from Japanese ramen to Thai green curry.
Established in 1998 by co-founder David Fox, Tampopo was one of the first Pan Asian restaurants in the city. Independently owned and operated, it now has three restaurants in Greater Manchester: Albert Square and The Corn Exchange in the city centre, and a site at the Trafford Centre which also has a takeaway kiosk. (Tampopo also has one London branch called ‘East Street by Tampopo’, based at Rathbone Place in Fitzrovia.)
‘Tampopo’ is a Japanese girl’s name meaning ‘dandelion’ and is also the title of a Japanese film, which chronicles a woman’s search for the perfect bowl of noodles - a quest Tampopo relates to every day.
David Fox flies his chefs out to East Asia each year to attend cooking schools, immerse themselves in South East Asian culture and learn how to cook the best, authentic dishes for guests. Now, he’s keen to show his customers how to make them at home too.
“I spent many years travelling South East Asia, attending cookery schools from Bali to Bangkok,” says David. “I’ve made it my life’s work to bring these incredible recipes back to the UK. The food from this region is all about serious freshness and heady, evocative flavours. I’m delighted that we can teach you how to recreate the magic at home.”
Tampopo has teamed up with renowned Malaysian chef and long-time friend Ana Abdullah who ran her own cookery school in Kuala Lumpur for 15 years. She has now decided to take on a new challenge by moving to the UK to work with Tampopo to lead their East Asian cookery schools.
“I am so excited to bring the flavours of East Asia to Manchester,” says Ana. “Malaysia is truly a melting pot of culture and cuisines, and I can’t wait to be able to teach my guests about East Asian food. My teaching style focuses on technique, so that each student can understand how to apply the foundation of East Asian cooking to their own recipes and tastes and leave with confidence”
Guests will learn to prepare and cook three dishes (which can be easily adapted for vegetarians and vegans) It’s a great opportunity to pick up plenty of tips and tricks and discover new ingredients and techniques.
Attendees will start the day with a glass of Vietnamese coffee and churros, before heading to a dedicated area to perfect their East Asian cooking skills. The cookery school will finish with lunch as guests will have the chance to site together to enjoy the fruits of their labour over drinks.
We attended a recent class and made summer rolls, sweetcorn fritters and the Malaysian breakfast staple, Nasi Goreng, a delicious stir-fried vegetable and rice dish that is one of the most popular on Tampopo’s menu.
Ana was funny, patient and very knowledgeable talking us through a few of the key ingredients and giving us a great insight to Malaysian culture and daily life. She told us that food is such a key part of Malaysian life that everyone usually eats every two to three hours. That sounds like our kind of place!
To book your own place at Tampopo’s cooking school, head to their website: https://tampopo.co.uk/shop/cookery-school/. Tickets are £70 and are available at a discount when booking two tickets together.
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