Top chef Tom Barnes reveals opening date for highly anticipated Manchester restaurant

Acclaimed chef Tom Barnes has revealed when his hotly anticipated Manchester restaurant will open its doors. The Roux Scholar hailing from Barrow-in-Furness is preparing to open his first solo venture having spent years honing his craft alongside some of the world's best chefs.

Skof, a 36-cover eatery is located in the NOMA district of Manchester city centre and will be situated within the Hanover building, built by the Co-operative Wholesale Society as a drapery warehouse in 1904. Tom says the restaurant will be underpinned by a vision to create an 'unpretentious yet ambitious' dining experience in the North of England.

The Cumbrian-born chef has spent the last 12 years with renowned chef Simon Rogan's UMBEL Restaurants, notably as head chef at Rogan & Co when it received a Michelin star, and executive chef at L’Enclume when it gained its coveted third star.

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His debut restaurant will officially open its doors on Wednesday, May 29 and booking will be released at 10am this morning (23 April). Though bookings are available up until Saturday, September 14, they're expected to go fast as people rush to dine at the talented chef's first venue.

Menus will be seasonal and feature local ingredients, and as part of this new venture, the chef will continue to work closely with the team of growers at Our Farm, Simon Rogan's regenerative farm in the Cartmel Valley, as well as Cinderwood Market Garden in Nantwich and Lake District Farmers.

Dishes on the first set of menus include Roasted Sladesdown duck, peach leaf, Ibis celeriac, wholemeal bread” and Berkswell cheese sable biscuit, crushed broad beans, whipped roe, bronze fennel. Skof