Tampopo Cooking School
Morys Davies
After opening its doors 25 years ago, Tampopo soon established itself as Manchester’s go-to place for fresh Eastern cooking. It now employs chefs from all over East Asia to perfect its authentic recipes, from Japanese ramen to Thai green curry.
It was one of the first Pan Asian restaurants in Manchester and now has three restaurants spread across the city: Albert Square, The Corn Exchange and The Trafford Centre as well as a London branch called “East Street by Tampopo”.
The chefs are flown out to East Asia each year, to immerse themselves in South East Asian culture
The Trafford Centre venue is dimly lit and styled like a vibrant Kowloon alley, offering a real sense of authenticity, matched by the fact the chefs are flown out to East Asia each year, to attend cooking schools and immerse themselves in South East Asian culture.
Now, Tampopo is bringing the ultimate East Asian Cookery school to the UK with renowned Malaysian chef and long-time friend of Tampopo, Ana Abdullah. Ana ran her own cookery school in Malaysia for 15 years, where many of the brand’s dishes were created and refined.
Taking on a new challenge, Ana has moved to the UK to work with Tampopo in leading their East Asian cookery schools. At the cookery school, guests will learn to prepare and cook three authentic dishes (including vegetarian and vegan options), some from the existing menu and some from the restaurant’s extensive archive of dishes.
Perfecting your East Asian cooking skills under Ana’s expert tutelage
The day starts with Vietnamese coffee and churros, then attendees spend a couple of hours perfecting their East Asian cooking skills under Ana’s expert tutelage. The cookery school finishes at lunch as attendees eat the fruits of their labour over drinks.
Ana said: “I am so excited to bring the flavours of East Asia to Manchester. Malaysia is truly a melting pot of culture and cuisines and I can’t wait to be able to teach my guests about East Asian food. My teaching style focuses on technique so that each student can understand how to apply the foundation of East Asian cooking to their own recipes and tastes and leave with confidence”.
To book Tampopo cooking school and experience the wonderfully entertaining and captivating teaching style of Ana Abdullah, head to their website. Tickets are £70 and are available at a discount when booking two tickets together.