Inside the stunning new Manchester restaurant from one of the UK's most exciting chefs

It’s one of Manchester’s most eagerly awaited restaurant openings and this week, Skof by Tom Barnes will finally open in the city centre.

Located in the middle of the NOMA district in Manchester city centre, the restaurant has taken over part of the terracotta-tiled Hanover building which was built by the Co-operative Wholesale Society as a drapery. Today, it is home to Barnes’ ‘unpretentious yet ambitious’ debut dining experience.

The Roux Scholar hailing from Barrow-in-Furness has spent years preparing for this moment, working alongside some of the world’s best chefs. For over a decade he honed his skills at Simon Rogan’s acclaimed restaurants, notably as head chef at Rogan & Co when it received a Michelin star, and as Executive Chef at the acclaimed L’Enclume when it took home a third star.

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His culinary journey began much earlier though. Aged 18 he began working at the two-Michelin-starred Vineyard at Stockcross under chef John Campbell. Following this, he picked up more experience as part of the brigade in lauded restaurants including The Square under Phil Howard and Geranium in Copenhagen under the renowned Rasmus Kofoed.

First announced in November, a key driver of the chef’s Manchester restaurant is to remove some of the preconceptions around fine dining by bringing an element of ‘surprise and joy’ to guests. From the design to the delivery of the farm-to-table menus, every detail has been carefully considered in this respect.

And as the team at Skof say: “There are no conventions, no dress codes - just great food and great vibes in a casual and beautiful space, much like the city we’ve chosen as our home.”

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