Kray Treadwell Adam Reid: The food scene is massive in Manchester. It's always been big, it's just not historically been very good

Kray Treadwell and Adam Reid discuss and hear Adam's go to karaoke song, we find out what Kary's biggest insecurity is, and they both talk about stepping out from under well-known chefs.

In this week’s episode of Grilled by The Staff Canteen head editor Cara Houchen was joined by new co-host Kray Treadwell, Chef Owner of 670 Grams, and their guest Chef Patron of The French in Manchester and former Great British Menu contestant.

During the episode, the pair discussed their time on Great British Menu and what messages they would send to their exes.

Adam Reid, chef patron of The French at The Midland Hotel in Manchester is no stranger to Great British Menu. In 2016, he took his signature dessert, Golden Empire, to the banquet.

Since then, Adam has taken the helm at The French and maintained the four AA Rosettes he earned as head chef under Simon Rogan.

Talking about how he became a chef, Adam explained: “It seemed quite a good idea at the time and the more I thought it the more I thought 'yeah, that's a good job that' you know, you can just visualise something can't you sometimes and go Yeah, I can that".

Looking back to his younger years, Adam described the early scenes that kick started his decision to become a chef.

"As I got older and used to bring myself home from school, I'd make myself a big bowl of salad, which sounds really helpful. I'd like dice up all the cucumbers, tomatoes, beetroot shred some lettuce, so I used to do that as my snack when I got home, which sounds healthy like I say but then I put about half a bottle a salad cream in it and a ton of salt and pepper and then just sat there eating it, watching Ready Steady in the Ainsley years," he said.

Adam added: "I left school did a modern apprenticeship but Paul Heathcote School of Excellence that was it. I was stuck then because when you leave school at 16 and don't do anything else that's kind of what I'm doing for the rest of my life, and you just try and make the most of it”.

MANCHESTER’S FOOD SCENE

Hitting back at comments made by the wife of Manchester City’s captain Illkay Gundogan, that the city had no good places to eat out, Adam said: "She never been anywhere. You can't go to like San Carlo and McDonald's and go 'food's rubbish in Manchester', well go somewhere that's half decent."

"The food scene is massive in Manchester. It's always been big, it's just not historically been very good but nowadays, there's so much more going on," he added.

Whilst Manchester’s food scene is the best it’s been with numerous new openings and chef residencies, Adam did explain the problem when a city’s quickly gathers pace.

"It does make me think is actually what's the point in opening another restaurant because there's just so much going on that it kind of feels a little bit pointless. You can't have any original ideas anymore because somebody else has done it somewhere. The only problem with a thriving scene is that you can't go in and be the only one cornering the market," explained Adam.

NEXT STEPS AND TAKING ON THE HEAD CHEF ROLE

After working at The French at The Midland Hotel, Adam eventually took on the reigns as Head Chef under Simon Rogan.

Talking about this moment in his career, Adam said: "It felt quite natural, really just switch to being it's not Simon anymore, it's me. The only thing it could have been a little bit daunting to go actually that's my name on there now but as I said before, I don't really think things through. It's there in front of me, that's what I'm doing. I'm just going get on with it, and put my head down, and just run as fast as I can."

In Adam’s case, taking the responsibility of Head Chef from Simon was an achievement but not one he’d necessarily aimed at doing, with his mind also set on opening and doing something of his own at the time.

"I probably had three years in it, you know, I In my mind I was like three years, and then I'm off to do my own thing. So being offered the French actually, it just coincided with that point in time where I would have gone off and do my own thing anyway," Adam explained. 

He added: "I still think back now and think well, what, what would have happened, like one of those sliding door moments, if I hadn't been offered The French or that hadn't come about then where would I have gone? Because I would definitely have gone into my own thing whether that was going to run somebody else's restaurant, but I run it kind of thing."