Hispi meets the Unabombers at Mayfield for MFDF

There is LOADS to get excited about at this year’s Manchester Food and Drink Festival, but certainly none more than this event.

By Tim Alderson | 25 August 2017

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There is LOADS to get excited about at this year’s Manchester Food and Drink Festival, but certainly none more than this event. Two of the most exciting food brands in the city club together for one big banquet at the Mayfield Depot, and all you’ve got to do to get involved is buy a ticket below.

A unique food, drink and music collaboration between bistro entrepreneur Gary Usher of Hispi and DJ duo turned restaurateurs, Justin Crawford and Luke Cowdrey, will take place as part of the Manchester Food and Drink Festival (MFDF) on Thursday 5th
October at The Mayfield Depot.

This casual “Come As You Are” banquet offers its guests a totally unique dining experience, as music and food come together to create an amazing event featuring the distinctive dishes that Gary,   Justin and Luke are all renowned for.

Gary will be joined by his Hispi Head Chef, Richard Sharples, to cook up a ‘tear and share’ menu, including gin cured sea trout, apple, kohlrabi, fennel and creme fraiche; whole chargrilled leg of lamb and dark chocolate pate; and cratedigger ice cream, hazelnut granola. Add signature Refuge cocktails to the mix and there’s all the ingredients for a food party to remember.

Expect a banquet where guests spend as much time on their feet dancing as dining, as the Unabombers DJ throughout, with the evening culminating in a typically lively set from the duo. Be prepared for a high-octane night!

The banquet starts at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced at £55 and are available at
manchesterfoodanddrinkfestival.nutickets.com/Hispi

Gary Usher is responsible for the award winning Hispi in Didsbury and is also the Chef Proprietor of the renowned Sticky Walnut, Burnt Truffle and the soon to be opened Wreckfish restaurants. Famed for its humble bistro food, he is joined at Hispi by a first class team, including head chef Richard Sharples, who has previous experiences at venues such as the Prestwich institution, Aumbry, under Mary-Ellen McTague.

DJs turned award-winning restaurateurs, Justin and Luke are the team behind the independent award winning Volta in West Didsbury and ‘The Refuge’ in Manchester. There vision is a simple devotion to great food as inspired by their well-travelled background as globe-trotting DJs, particularly in European cities such as San Sebastian, Barcelona, Rome, Sydney, Tokyo and beyond.

Commenting on the banquet, Phil Jones, Festival Director, said: “This amazing collaboration is going to be one of the highlights of the Festival. It’s bringing together some of the biggest, creative and most successful names in the industry to produce what can only be labelled as a swaggering, staggering, musical feast. We’re passionate about bringing new and innovative ideas to the food and drink scene in Manchester and this fits the bill perfectly. The menu is outstanding and the Unabombers will be adding a fantastic DJ set to the whole affair. It’s certainly going to be a night to remember.”

The menu for the evening consists of:
Arrival –
Spiced cashews and almonds and Parmesan and truffle crisps
First course –
Gin cured sea trout, apple, kohlrabi, fennel and creme fraiche
Main Course
Whole chargrilled lamb leg with/ Sharpe’s Express potato and chive salad Chargrilled cauliflower, yoghurt, pumpkin seeds, lemon and parsley White cabbage and anchovies
Sweet –
Dark chocolate pate, cratedigger ice cream, hazelnut granola