Celebrating leading women in Manchester’s hospitality industry

Katy Saide, Co-Founder of Trove

With three locations across Manchester, Trove has become a local treasure thanks to its winning formula – simple grub, sourdough loaves and friendly faces. Founded by husband-and-wife team Marcus and Katy Saide, everything is made in-house and by hand, from the countertop cakes to the inspired brunch menu.

The duo came from humble beginnings back in 2011, selling their own organic jams and chutneys on a stall at Levenshulme market. Fast forward to over a decade later, they are one of the leading producers on the Manchester scene, with a cafe-cum-bakery in Ancoats, one next to Piccadilly Gardens and the original neighbourhood operation in Levenshulme.

Despite Trove’s popularity, Katy ensures that the team sticks closely to their original mission – creating wholesome produce from scratch with a side of community spirit. It is thanks to Katy’s influence that Trove now has a glowing reputation for championing fellow creators and female-first events across the city. The venues host several supper clubs and workshops – often in conjunction with Ladies of Restaurants (L.O.R), a collective for women making strides in the hospitality industry.

Anna Søgaard, Sous Chef at Erst

With its focus on natural wines and seasonal small plates, Erst is a simple affair that draws on quality local ingredients. Set against the industrial backdrop of Ancoats, the forward-thinking restaurant has recently been lauded as “one of the best meals of the year” by Jay Rayner – the highest of praise from The Guardian’s coolest critic.

In charge of the constantly evolving menu is head chef and Erst co-founder Patrick Withington, an ex-plumber who swiftly climbed the ranks with his confident cooking and flair for flavour. However, the shining star of Erst is sous chef Anna Søgaard.

Raised between Florida and Copenhagen, the talented chef trained in Nordic fine dining before taking up her Ancoats residency in 2019. While working at Erst, Anna crossed paths with sommelier Kim Mcbride and Supp-HER was born – an inclusive supper club powered by women, in support of women. In collaboration with other local talent, they’re uniting people over good food and a glass of wine (produced by female winemakers, of course) to raise funds for various female-focused charities in the area.

Most recently, they joined forces with fellow female powerhouse The Creameries to fundraise for Host Nation, a women-founded charity matching UK residents with refugees to offer much-needed friendship.

Mary-Ellen McTague, Owner of The Creameries

Nestled in Chorlton, The Creameries is a neighbourhood kitchen, bakery and bar that attracts diners in their droves to an old Edwardian dairy. The restaurant has recently rebranded as Campagna at The Creameries, moving away from the fine-dining style menus, and relaunching as a Southern Italian eatery.

Opened in 2018, The Creameries is owned by Mary-Ellen McTague, a celebrated local chef who was the head honcho at fine-dining establishment, Aumbry, in Prestwich.

With an impressive CV spanning 20 years in hospitality and a crowded awards cabinet, Mary-Ellen previously worked alongside Heston Blumenthal and even appeared on the BBC’s Great British Menu twice as a North West finalist.

Following a conversation with her sister who works for the NHS, she co-founded Eat Well MCR at the start of the pandemic and went above and beyond to keep frontline workers fed. The collective of Manchester foodies currently delivers up to 1,000 chef-made meals every week to vulnerable people across the city. 

Lauren Irlam, Owner of Nibble NQ

Northern Quarter cafe Nibble NQ prides itself on not only being female-fronted, but being exclusively run by an all-women team. In their own words, they’re “small in size but big in personality,” and the cafe is renowned for its welcoming and inclusive atmosphere.

Instead of hiring trained chefs, the team makes everything themselves from scratch – including the seasonal brunch menu and selection of delicious baked goods. Despite managing both Teacup Kitchen and Railway Kitchen & Bar, owner Lauren Irlam had always wanted her own cafe so when the opportunity arose in 2017, she found herself with the venue on Oldham Street, tucked in the small space next to Pop Boutique.

Armed with little but her incredible work ethic, Lauren has transformed the cafe into a cosy institution, serving up some of the most wholesome vibes in Manchester. Alongside the independent venue, business-savvy Lauren also runs an online shop, with cakes, brunch dishes and afternoon teas available for delivery all over the UK. As well as fostering strong female friendships amongst both her team and customers, she hopes to inspire other women to seize opportunities with both hands.

Sarah Gallacher, Owner of Cocoa Cabana

There must be something in the water at New Islington marina, because Cocoa Cabana is another female-first eatery going from strength to strength in the inner-city suburb of Ancoats. Founded by Sarah Gallacher, the independent chocolate shop draws in crowds with its famous ‘Chocolate Afternoon Tea’ and moonlights as a chic cocktail bar serving a range of ‘choctails.’

After training as a chocolatier at the famous Slattery’s in nearby Whitefield, Sarah launched her own business, Cocoa Cabana, on Burton Road in West Didsbury. Since 2012, her artisan chocolates have won countless awards and even received a nod of approval from the chocolate giants themselves – Cadbury.

To cope with the blossoming demand for her sweet creations, Cocoa Cabana expanded to the city centre, setting up a chocolate lover’s pink paradise in Ancoats. Alongside her talent for treats, Sarah’s entrepreneurial spark has also been recognised by various industry awards, including winning Entrepreneur of the Year at the Inspiring Women Awards in 2014.