With a capacity of 62,062 it is the largest Premier League stadium in London,  but what really makes it stand out is the attention to detail.  Every element of the stadium has been designed to the most intricate level, with an aim of creating the highest level of fan entertainment.  The south-stand, which is the largest single tier stand in the UK features acoustics similar to a concert hall, the result?  A breathtaking wall of sound that is nothing short of moving.  The hospitality is so luxurious that corporate guests could be forgiven for thinking they were dining in Mayfair, with two Sky Lounges on the top floor offering Michelin star dining and a world first ‘Tunnel Club’ that allows its members to observe the players as they walk from the dressing room to the pitch through a glass-walled tunnel.

For those less pampered fans (such as myself), the offering is equally impressive and yet still more affordable than other clubs.  The food offering is spectacular;  some 60 outlets put together in one glorious foodhall – a great nod to London’s buzzing street-food scene.  The stadium boasts the longest bar in Europe, solving the dreaded half time queues.  Here draft beers are poured from the bottom up (fast pour technology) increasing the speed and reducing bubbles.  Beavertown Micro Brewery is in situ, brewing beers on site and The Tottenham Experience is a whole fleet of shops which together make up the largest retail space of any European club.

The whole stadium is cashless and features state of the art Wi-Fi and beacons which send special offers and news to those who have the Spurs app.  Oh, and let’s not forget the environment.  Everything is recyclable here – all cutlery is wood, bags are string (and you’re charged for them) and drinking vessels are recycled by a facility in nearby Edmonton.

This amazing development has elevated the area as well as the club, setting a new standard for sports stadia worldwide and most importantly it has cemented the fact that North London definitely belongs to Spurs.

Less than a generation ago, Kings Cross was typified by post-industrial degradation, notoriously unsavoury behaviour and its one redeeming feature; the historic St Pancras station. Now, following Argent’s extensive regeneration, the transport hub is fast becoming the most relevant shopping and leisure destination in the capital.  At the heart of this sits The Coal Office Restaurant, a creative collaboration between British Designer Tom Dixon and renowned Chef Assaf Granit.  Assaf’s idea was to deconstruct the kitchen, with cooking and prepping across three floors, and with everybody involved in cooking – from waiters to guests themselves.

The result? A dining playground which is half kitchen, half dining. Each guest at the Coal Office is witness to an entirely different engaging experience beyond just eating.With such names involved, my expectations for the restaurant were understandably high. And in reality?  Brilliant. It would be easy for such a combination to feel formulaic and forced, a “best of the best” scenario where the individual brilliance of the architects supersedes the finished article, which may lack chemistry and authenticity. But not here.

The design is of course beautiful and innovative but it’s the sympathy to the history of the building that really hits the mark. The food explores exciting flavours in a menu that celebrates modern Meditterranean cuisine (personal favourites include Ironed Chicken and Shikshukit). With each dish being carefully explained by a team of passionate and knowledgeable staff, this restaurant/showroom hybrid manifests in a wonderful dining experience that sees design and culinary flair work seamlessly together.

If you fancy a bite to eat and the chance to bring yourself bang up-to-date with all the current trends from the fashion, design, music and cultural worlds, then look no further than 10 Corso Como, newly opened up in New York’s upcoming Seaport district. Since conception nearly 30 years ago in Milan by Fashion entrepreneur Carla Sozzani, 10 Corso Como has well and truly established itself as a bi-word for international style and culture for that industry’s bright young things.

On a recent visit to New York, I decided to go and see what all the fuss was about, and it did not disappoint!  The Seaport District is one of New York’s oldest neighbourhoods and fast becoming a hub for all that is cultural, edgy and cool. 10 Corso Como (named after its original Milanese address) occupies the entire first floor (28,000 sq ft) of the old Fulton Market Building. Designed as a “living magazine” to inspire consumers, visiting is a truly immersive experience comprising of Italian fashion, design objects, books, photography and art, in addition to an Italian café, restaurant and stunning garden, as you can imagine it’s easy to lose yourself for half a day. Designer Kris Ruhs’s cutting edge industrial design further compounds the experience, skilfully blending the exterior with the interior and building on your experience.

Founded in September of 1990, 10 Corso Como started life as an art gallery in a converted garage, intended to showcase Sozzani’s favourite photography, fashion, art and design. As 1991 unfolded, she was joined by a garden café and a bookshop, eventually encouraging her to commission Kris Ruhs to fully design the interior of the industrial building. Famous for his graphic, industrial designs and use of discarded objects, his designs proved to be the finishing touch that propelled 10 Corso Como onto the international design scene.

A partnership with Samsung followed, leading to a store and café openings in Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo and finally, New York. This brand well and truly revitalises the meaning of a concept store.

You’re opening Schofield’s with your brother Joe, who won International Bartender of the Year in 2018.  It’s interesting how you’re both in the same field.  Can you tell us what drew you both to Bartending in the first place?

Joe actually started working in a local pub at the age of 16 which is arguably where his career started.  I got my first job during a summer break at the age of 18 in Spain and it escalated from there, we worked in some of the best bars in the North of England, then moved onto major cities like Paris, Melbourne, Sydney, London & Singapore with a desire to learn.  I think we both love the feeling of giving people a great experience, whether that be through playing great music, creating innovative cocktail menus or giving exceptional service to our guests.

So you’ve traversed the globe and the UK.  Can you tell us which international city you enjoyed the most and why?  What did you notice about the difference in peoples’ drinking habits?

I’ve always loved the Greek culture, they really treasure every moment of a social gathering, whether that be having a coffee, an aperitif or a late night drink!  Athens will always have a special place in our hearts as it was the first city that we did a bar takeover in together!

What brought you to Manchester?

Manchester is our home city. We were born just on the outskirts and spent a lot of time here whilst growing up. We first had the idea to open our own bar about 8 years ago and for us, there was no where else we would rather open our first bar!

What makes Manchester stand out for you in the UK?

Manchester is rife with a culture that can be easily relatable to bars. There is such a rich history of music and nightlife here that it makes it an extremely exciting time for us to be back. We have also found that Northern people tend to have a natural sense of hospitality too!

What other bars / bartenders in Manchester do you most admire at the moment and why?  You both have a wealth of experience in the drinks industry.  Have you seen the bar scene change much over the years?

There are some great bars and bartenders in Manchester, we spend a lot of time in Hawksmoor because the quality of service is so high.  The promising thing about Manchester at the moment is that so many new bars and restaurants are opening which are always worth checking out! We both really respect the Living Ventures sites as they are always consistent, the small details of getting a smile or a ‘hello’ as you walk in past 3 different members of staff.  It isn’t easy for a large chain to keep delivering service like this, but they do really well!  The bar scene has definitely changed since I was working here, which was back in 2014, a lot of smaller, more independent sites have opened serving more innovative cocktails and showing more progressive thinking.

What were your best selling drinks in other cities around the world?  What do you think will sell best in Manchester?

We have seen a huge resurgence in classic cocktails in recent years.  For the first 2/3 years that I was working in cocktail bars, the most ordered classic cocktails were a Mojito or Strawberry Daiquiri.  Nowadays, the most ordered classics seem to be a Negroni or an Old Fashioned, this is a huge step forward for our industry!

Finally – how does it feel to be home and working together again?

It feels great to be home.  There are many reasons why we decided to move back to Manchester, one being closer to family and another being that we see a lot of potential in this city.  I’m really excited to be working with Joe once again, he has had a huge impact on my career and is arguably the main reason why I got into this industry in the first place.

www.schofieldsbar.com

Founded by Oonagh Simms who was inspired by the Parisian’s passion for the confectionery treat, the Marshmallowist is the first producer of gourmet marshmallows in the UK.

After studying as a chocolatier in Paris, what made you decide to focus your business in producing marshmallows?

Well, I originally trained in chocolaterie and patisserie. I adored every early morning, burnt fingered, flour faced part of it. When I returned to London I worked for a luxury chocolate company but I loved experimenting with confectionary for myself. In Paris, fruit marshmallows were a common sweet treat in patisseries and luxury food stores- but not in the U.K. I loved them and spent evenings playing with different flavours- inspired by cocktails or unusual desserts pairing herbs and spices with seasonal fruits. The marshmallow recipe I created is perfect for carrying flavours because it doesn’t use egg white and is soufflé like in texture so you can taste the different layers and notes of the flavour develop as you eat them.

At what point did the idea turn from a concept into a reality?

I managed to blag a weekend market pitch on Portobello Road and began selling my marshmallows. I would make them when I got home from work and sell them on a Saturday. At first it was just a way of me testing new marshmallow flavours (and making a bit of extra money) but very quickly the marshmallows started getting a lot of attention- Vogue Magazine, Harpers Bazaar, the BBC. Soon after Harvey Nichols asked if they could start stocking them. That was 5 years ago and now I have my own bakery, a small team of Marshmallowists and we’re growing more than I could have ever imagined.

You have achieved so much for a young team, is your age an advantage or a drawback?

I think both age and gender are a challenge. I have a team that I employ and it’s always noticed that when we have meetings or visitors to the kitchen, my kitchen manager who is male will be assumed to be the boss- not me. Also, being a chef by training meant that the first formal meetings I attended were not under the mentorship of someone more senior. It was me negotiating as a company owner. I always assume it’s a good thing- my drive and passion for the product isn’t about just the numbers it’s about representing my craft.

The product is beautifully produced using the highest quality, fresh ingredients, how do you ensure consistency as you grow the brand?

Quality is non-negotiable. I will turn down projects and commissions if I think they will compromise the quality of what we do; we haven’t taken the supermarket contracts or the brand dilution. It’s also important to grow a team around you that care about the brand as much as you do. I spend a lot of time training. Taking the time to try other products, develop our recipes and keep all our skill levels up.

What future challenges and developments do you foresee in the food industry?

The sugar tax is something that everyone thinks must worry sweet companies but I genuinely think it’s a good thing. I will never be ‘anti sugar’ but anything that encourages people to become more conscious consumers and question what actually goes into their food should be celebrated. I see a lot of companies making quite spurious claims about their product being ‘natural’- when they are selling something that is ‘candy floss’ flavoured. I hope the sugar tax spurs more confectionery companies into selecting their ingredients with care rather than just heaping in the sugar and colourings.

What are the current trends in the marketplace and do you see this changing anytime soon?

Certainly in confectionery there are two definite camps at the moment- the raw cake, avocado ice cream movement and the unicorn Frappuccino, edible glitter kitsch pleasure seekers. Both seem to exist in parallel.

www.themarshmallowist.com

A British fashion brand inspired by artists, drivers and butchers. Wayne Sorensen began working on SØRENSEN in 2015 and was inspired by the work ethic of archetypal professions.

What have been the main contributors to your brand’s success?

I found myself surrounded by an amazing group of individuals who are all experts in their own fields (and certainly in areas that I’m not proficient in) that were all offering me their support. For me SØRENSEN is attributable to them. I just saw my role as bringing all these wonderful people and their expertise together.

At what point did the idea turn from concept to reality?

It was this gentle segue. I’d taken something of a sabbatical when I left Orlebar Brown which allowed for this wonderful period for the concept to be explored and developed properly. There was one day though where I looked at the calendar and said; “okay, we’re launching on 11-May 2016 – let’s go”.

How important have your site and pop up units been to the success of SØRENSEN?

I love to think about when a customer connects with a certain piece from the collection and in that moment feels better about themselves and the world around them – that is why the brand exists. Having a space that facilitates that moment, as a store does, is incredibly important.

Where do you feel the fashion industry is heading?

To observe fashion is to observe what’s happening in society. To say we’re living in uncertainty and change is an understatement but that’s an incredible honour to be a part of too. We’re questioning everything. We’re throwing out the rulebooks – and that’s happening in the industry too. No one knows how it’s all going to shake down but I do feel there’s going to be a call for more integrity with how we produce and what we consume.

In what ways do you think that menswear has changed and is changing?

You look back at photographs of our fathers and grandfathers and how sharply turned out they were. Over the last three or so decades that confidence in our dress has deteriorated. Thankfully there is a gradual turn in that tide and the rise in menswear and grooming is well documented.

Your website focuses on six main types of male ‘groups’, what led you to implement this and why?

SØRENSEN is based on an observation that most men (and a lot of women too) have little inclination towards fashion and trends per se, yet they still want to know that they look good. The relentless hype and hard sell involved in the fashion industry means there’s been a slow deterioration of confidence in people’s ability to identify their own sense of style, their own personal uniform as it were. “To rebuild that confidence, to create the idea of an, ‘archetypal framework’ of pieces rooted in specific values and virtues drove me to develop SØRENSEN”.

www.studiosorensen.com

Ramy Riad (Sentram) acts on behalf of SØRENSEN

Wine brought together Mark, head buyer at independent wine merchant Roberson, and Dan, who was once the MD of Island Records. After launching their wine magazine (Noble Rot) they’ve finally fulfilled their dream of opening a wine bar and restaurant.

When did Noble Rot, turn from an idea into a reality and what generated that idea initially?

Mark: We started Noble Rot because we felt it was something that didn’t exist. Dan and I met when he came to my wine tasting events and became friends, and soon concluded that there were no magazines that spoke to wine lovers in an easy to understand and interesting tone, that contextualised wine with food and the creative arts. After developing the magazine for 3 years, the restaurant and wine bar concept was a natural progression.

Dan, you came from a musical background, what inspired you to start a wine bar and restaurant?

Dan: I used to eat out a lot through my job as a record company A&R man, but always hated not fully understanding what was on restaurant wine lists. Along with a good friend stoking my interest with bottles of classics like Château d’Yquem and Chave Hermitage, it was one of the reasons I first became fascinated with wine. Over the years my interest in food and wine continued to grow, and although back then I probably never thought I would open a restaurant, it felt like an exciting thing for Noble Rot to do.

How did the magazine lead you into opening a wine bar and how were you able to fund it all?

Mark: We always wanted to make Noble Rot into a physical incarnation, and the plan was originally to open a wine bar. This idea evolved once we had Stephen Harris’ involvement and were confident that we could do something interesting food-wise. We raised money to open the bar/restaurant by selling equity in the business, which was made easier because we had established the beginnings of a brand via the magazine.

What are the benefits of having two people involved in a new business rather than one, do you play to each other’s strengths and weaknesses and if so what are they?

Mark: We rely heavily on each other, and our individual and joint strengths. We run a magazine, bar and restaurant and have several plans in development, so there is lots to do. Dan is very creative and leads a lot of work on the magazine, while I have worked in the wine trade for over a decade and my educational background is in business. We focus on different parts of the company while each retaining big input into what the other is doing.

How do you think London’s restaurant market it changing?

Dan: The food and wine scene in London is the best it’s probably ever been. There’s so much more choice than 10 years ago, and there are interesting independent projects springing up every month.

What are the benefits of having of a magazine to be able to showcase the wines and Noble Rot’s ethos within its pages?

Dan: The magazine is the shop front for what Noble Rot stands for – our ethos about wine, food and life. It’s also about shining a spotlight on other businesses, winemakers, artists, musicians and chefs who are doing things that we love, and it’s great for meeting interesting people. We’re trying to make wine a bit more accessible whilst not dumbing it down – it’s one of the most beautiful subjects in the world.

www.noblerot.co.uk