Mark Poynton, Nigel Haworth and Paul Heathcote among the line-up for Northern Lights Dinner at the Lowry Hotel

Ten of the North West’s leading chefs - including Mark Poynton, Nigel Haworth and Paul Heathcote - will join industry charity Hospitality Action for a spectacular fundraising dinner at the five-star Lowry Hotel on 11 September, celebrating both the region’s culinary successes over the past two decades and Hospitality Action’s 180th birthday. 

The five-course dinner is designed to showcase how the industry has changed over the past twenty years, with two chefs collaborating on each retro-themed dish:  

The menu:

Starter: Shay Cooper, Executive Chef at The Goring; Mark Poynton, Chef Patron at Michelin-starred Alimentum 

Fish course: Andrew Nutter, Chef Patron at Nutters Restaurant; Antony Shirley, Executive Chef at The Seafood Pub Company 

Main course: Nigel Haworth, Chef Patron at luxury country hotel Northcote; Warrick Dodds, Development Chef at The Individual Restaurant Company 

Cheese/savoury course: Steven Doherty, former Head Chef at Le Gavroche; Paul Askew, Chef Patron at The Art School 

Dessert: Paul Heathcote MBE, Chef Patron of Heathcote; Steve Midgley, Restaurant Consultant

Following a cocktail and canapé reception, guests will have the opportunity to mix with some of the industry’s biggest names before tucking into the likes of brill, coral crumb, cauliflower cheese, frazzled bacon, aged Lonk lamb wrapped in seaweed infused butter puff pastry and baked cabbage trompette mushrooms.

Tickets cost £125 or £1200 for a table of ten; including five courses, matched wines and coffees plus petit fours.

170719 Nigel Howarth
Nigel Howarth, Patron of Hospitality Action, has been tasked with dessert

The Northern Lights Fundraising Dinner will help contribute to the record sum of money Hospitality Action is attempting to raise in its 180th year. The charity aids those in the industry who have fallen on hard times, from supporting isolated and lonely retirees to assisting those suffering from illness, poverty, domestic violence or bereavement. 

Penny Moore, Chief Executive of Hospitality Action, said: “Cooking styles and techniques have changed so much over the past two decades. We’re hugely privileged to have ten amazing chefs celebrating these changes and showcasing why the region has had so many culinary successes during this time."

Adrian Ellis, General Manager at the Lowry Hotel and chair of the Manchester Hoteliers Association said: “Here at the Lowry Hotel we are great supporters of the brilliant work that Hospitality Action does supporting people in our industry. The event is such an exciting way to increase awareness of the charity, raise money and get some very talented chefs creating all under one roof.

Tickets for the event on Monday 11 September can be purchased at hospitalityaction.org.uk

Andrew Nutter Chef Nutters Rochdale
Rochdale Man of the Year, Andrew Nutter, will be on fish