The Staff Canteen Live 2024: Front of house networking lunch at The French

On Monday, September 9, we hosted our third front of house networking lunch of the year, this time at The French in Manchester, with chef Adam Reid.

Adam joined The French in 2013, becoming chef patron in 2016, and has since been awarded four AA rosettes.

The Staff Canteen launched chef networking lunches in 2016, encorporating front of house events from 2020, which are now run once every quarter.

THE GUESTS

Today at The French, we welcomed 11 front of house industry professionals.

Xavier Brette, general manager, Winteringham Fields
Isobel Flude, restaurant manager, mana
Steve Locklin, restaurant manager, Simpsons
Andi Fergusson, manager, TNQ (The Northern Quarter Restaurant)
Sofie Stoermann-Naess, director/general manager, OSMA
Charles Brierley, managing director, The White Hart at Lydgate
Julian Pizer, owner, Another Hand MCR
Lisa Pearson, owner, Deacons Bank
Joe Welsh, head waiter, Moor Hall
Ruby Fryman, director, Tartuffe
Abby Marsden, head waitress, NORD

Last year, Michelin-starred mana in Ancoats, Manchester, hosted a TSC Live networking lunch.

Discussing being on the other side of the table this time, mana’s restaurant manager Isobel Flude said: “I think it’s really important in my role to always take the opportunity to be a guest. It helps you learn how to perform your job to the best of your ability when you sit on the other side of the table.

“I thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon. It’s been a great experience. I’ve loved chatting with everyone I’ve met. It’s been fantastic.

“I think it’s important to bring people together who have creative and executive control in restaurants in this kind of format. You get to learn from each other, what each other is doing, how you’re doing things like diversifying your supplier system and you get to chat to each other on an honest and loyal basis, rather than having to hide behind a screen.”

THE SPONSORS

Special thanks to our four sponsors that made this lunch possible – Chef Works, Hoshizaki, Ridgeview Wine Estate and Lightspeed.

Brandon Barnham of Ridgeview Wine Estate, attending his first networking lunch, said: “It’s been really good. Everyone’s been really complimentary about the wines.

"The food was excellent, the service was fantastic and I think generally the networking was really high quality.

“Getting in front of decision-makers and the key stakeholders, building rapport over a softer environment is hugely beneficial, so massively positive.”

Jake Lewis of Lightspeed added: “Today is about meeting people. It is about understanding what they are going through and also just having that chance to all get together on a Monday, generally a day off, and just enjoy ourselves at an amazing place.

“One of the great things about this event is that as a sponsor, it’s like a musical chairs sort of set up, where I get to speak to every single guest. That’s a very unique thing, where they know that’s coming. Generally that’s quite casual.

“It’s more just about having that 20 to 30 minutes with them at the table, having a chat, so now I’ve got several contacts from two of these lunches now, where if any of them are looking (for our help), I’m sure they’ll come back to me.”

THE MENU

The set tasting menu of modern British cuisine showcased the creative culinary talents of Manchester’s own Adam Reid. Each course was paired with a wine pairing from Ridgeview.

Bloomsbury Magnum

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Ham hock fry and walnut ketchup
Not your average cheese and onion pie
Crispy chicken skin, whipped roe and pickled pepper

Cavendish NV

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Pollen bakery ‘French malt’ loaf with beer butter
Scallop from Scotland, white asparagus milk and wild garlic oil

Blanc de Blancs 2019

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Cornish day boat cod loin, with an American sauce and smoky fish eggs

Bloomsbury NV

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Rhug Estate organic white chicken
Offal stew, turnip and barley gravy

Blanc de Noirs 2015

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Baked chamomile custard
Cheshire rhubarb juice and strawberry

Fitzrovia NV

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ManCoCo blend espresso