Stirring the Pot in the North West, Tinned Peas and Boy Bands 🍳

It’s official - the North West’s restaurant scene isn’t just on the rise; it’s boiling over with talent. The energy, the flavour, the passion — it’s all there, simmering away behind every pass and kitchen door, and this months Michelin update proves all of that.

It’s wild to think how much has changed. Not too long ago, Italian brands set the tone - and, to be fair, they did it beautifully. They built the foundations, structures, systems, brought the flair, and reminded everyone that food can be both comforting and exciting. (I've opened FOUR of these venues in this city myself) But those days of uniform menus and predictable pasta have evolved into something much more layered. What started as a few big players has splintered into a thousand sparks - independent operators, creative collectives, and chefs who’ve decided that “good enough” just doesn’t cut it anymore.

And while we’re on the subject of Italian classics… remember that one chain that thought tinned peas were the height of sophistication? I will never forget a waiter adamantly telling us!! (If you know, you know.) Let’s just say: they’re definitely not better. Some memories belong in the cupboard, not on the plate.

These days, Manchester and the wider North West are a different beast entirely. Yes, the cost pressures are real - everyone feels it, from the head chef to the kitchen porter - but somehow, amidst all that, the scene’s never been stronger. There’s a resilience here, a heart that no corporate spreadsheet could ever replicate. The creativity doesn’t come from big investment groups or sterile boardrooms; it comes from the passion of people who live this industry every day.

Every incredible plate being served in this city has fingerprints of care all over it - from the chefs perfecting sauces at midnight, to the KPs scrubbing pots and keeping everything moving, to the front-of-house teams who make it all look effortless. Manchester’s restaurant community has become one big, beating heart - and you can taste it.

This week’s mentions are a perfect reminder of that diversity and drive:

• Winsome - charming by name, irresistible by nature.

• Climat - scaling new culinary heights with precision and flair.

• Bangkok Diners Club - keeping it spicy, soulful, and full of character.

• Stow - serving sophistication without the snobbery.

• Pip - small in size, massive in flavour personality and presence. Mary Ellen, rocking it!

• Cantaloupe - cool, fresh, and oh-so-smooth.

And let’s not forget my personal favourite, Orme in Urmston - which I cannot wait to visit. There’s already a whisper (well, more like a loud cheer) that it’s one of those rare spots that nails the balance between comfort and creativity. If passion had a postcode, Orme might just be it, and not directly in town too which to me marks a brave perspective, its about hospitality, not locality, built on absolute hospo foundations - not postcodes for footfall and prayers. "If you build it they will come"

So yes - while the pressures of running restaurants today are tougher than ever, what we’re seeing in Manchester right now is nothing short of remarkable. The diversity, the quality, the care… it’s all being built dish by dish, service by service, by people who truly love what they do. Are big brand venues of a boy band era gone by? Maybe...But SOME still packed and doing it well too - Bills spring to mind.

The city isn’t just cooking - it’s creating. And as long as there are chefs, operators, and dreamers willing to roll up their sleeves and put heart over hype, Manchester will continue to serve up something that no giant brand could ever imitate.

Here’s to the next course - and may it never come with tinned peas. 🥂

And yes I took that picture of this incredible city.