TAST Catala has appointed a new kitchen supremos to replace departing launch head chef Miquel Villacrosa. Like Miquel, Alejandro Calvo is a protege of group exec chef Paco Perez, working with him for seven years and helping him to secure his most recent Michelin star at Terra in S’Agaró in 2019.
King Street, Manchester, of course, is a different kettle of anchovies from the Perez heartland of Catalonia with Alejandro’s remit to maintain, even improve on, the cuisine at Tast and its tasting menu flagship Tast Enxaneta. Tast was recently given a 5 star review by ToM.
We loved playful dishes such as Duck’in Donuts (£3.90) – foie gras and white chocolate creations sprinkled with raspberry dust. Odd then, on the strength of that lunch eperience that Miquel has departed.
The new head chef is definitely up for the challenge, telling us: “It’s clear to see that in terms of restaurants and chefs the city is growing up a lot. At Tast we have a real opportunity to make a name for ourselves as one of the restaurants that is leading the city in its culinary revolution and I’m glad to be a part of it.
“Every single member of the Tast team, from front of house staff to my team in the kitchen, to the directors, lives and breathes the Barcelona vibe that we’re creating in the restaurant.”
Tast director Sandra Martorell added: “We’re confident that with Alejandro at the helm we’ll be able to cement ourselves as not only the best Catalonian food in Manchester, but one of the must-try experiences in the city.”
Tast opened in 2018 as a joint project between Pep Guardiola, his Catalan colleague at Manchester City Txiki Bergiristain and Ferran Soriano, and the Fazenda group. It has established a reputation not just as a casual fine dining destination but also as a great bar to hang out in.
Tast Catala, 20-22 King St, Manchester M2 6AG. 0161 806 0547.