“When we use local ingredients and suppliers at Podium, everybody wins”

The Hilton Manchester Deansgate’s Podium Restaurant is without a doubt producing some of the best dishes in the city.

With new restaurants popping up seemingly every day, this one might not be on your radar to try.

But we’re here to try and persuade you, and what better way than to talk about their fantastic use of local suppliers?

Believe us when we say, it makes a world of difference.

But why believe us? Why not hear it from the Head chef himself, Dave Ashton.

He’s already dazzling the city with his Kitchen @ Cloud 23.

And there’s never been a better chance to get stuck in, as they are currently offering a fabulous 2 dishes for £25.

He’s the culinary mastermind behind the delectable dishes at Hilton Manchester Deansgate’s Podium Restaurant,  and we sat down to talk about the significance of local produce in creating exceptional culinary experiences.

The local bounty used at the Hilton’s Podium Restaurant

“Local suppliers are really, really important. As a chef, you want to come up with great dishes and be inventive, but you cannot do that without great ingredients,” Dave Ashton begins, highlighting the fundamental role of quality produce in the culinary arts.

“Luckily for us in Manchester and the Northwest, we have some fantastic produce available right on our doorstep,” says Dave, emphasising the local abundance that contributes to the restaurant’s culinary excellence.

Dave stresses the importance of relationships with local suppliers, stating, “You know you’re going to get fantastic produce from smaller providers because they are dependent on the business and care about what they are selling.”

Crafting unique experiences with local partners

“At the end of last year, we joined forces with the Crafty Cheese Man, such a passionate guy.

“He works with tiny suppliers – one has only has five cows that produce very little milk but it gets turned into this amazing cheese,” Ashton shares, shedding light on the collaboration that resulted in unique, locally inspired creations.

“Everything gets turned into something amazing from such a limited quantity. It’s an extra dimension for us, we can be a lot more bespoke and find something really niche and excellent that works for us. And it’s a nice touch to share the stories of local producers,  too.”

Dave adds, underlining the value of turning limited resources into exceptional culinary experiences.

Describing a recent collaboration, Dave mentions, “Some of the dishes we are making now have stand-out local produce.

“We’ve got a dessert on at the moment, it’s a dish that’s based around goat cheese, it has flavours of lemon drizzle and fennel.

“When we first started serving it, it was before we had this relationship with the Crafty Cheese Man. While the product was good, we wanted to take it to the next level.  When he came on board with us he came to taste it and offered his incredible insight on how to make it better.

“He went away and bought back four of five different types of cheese – and put it all together with taste tests

“Then we’ve put together this far superior product thanks to his local insight. It’s invaluable really if you really want to ramp things up to the next level.”

Dave also discussed the Hilton’s relationship with Growing Field 28, situated near the M56 in Warrington.  And this team are serious

Growing Field 28 are a pesticide and biocide-free farm and farm shop in Daresbury, producing and distributing high-quality specialist leaf, microgreens, edible flowers and heritage vegetable varieties across the UK.

They follow traditional no-dig market gardening practices across the farm, ensuring greater biodiversity of the soil and upholding a commitment to put more into the ground than we take away. 

Dave said: “These guys are supplying some of the best restaurants in the UK –  L’enclume, Moor Hall, Call by Claire Smith, Fat Duck.

“Sustainable with a great attitude to farming – the growers are so knowledgeable. They have a UV room growing microherbs, and I’ve never seen quality that good before.

“Using this produce as opposed to normal produce is making us better, making us different and using fantastic produce.

“The partnerships, it work both ways. We feature their business and discuss their produce, hopefully, everyone wins.”

Following several local partnerships with Holy Grain Sourdough and The Crafty Cheeseman, one of the Podium Restaurants staples really came to life

A standout dish—the Lancashire Cheese custard has become a sensation in its own right.

This savoury masterpiece, served with a luscious onion dip and local Holy Grain sourdough, has evolved into Podium’s signature.

Local partnerships breed excellence

Dave also talked about the human aspect and how that can help inform relationships with local suppliers.

“It’s nice to put a human face on a name, always available at the end of the phone and just hugely passionate about what they do. It really shines through in the final product.

“Everybody wins, the local business, and the customer, and we can be proud of what we produce at Podium too,” Ashton remarks, highlighting the symbiotic relationship between local businesses and Podium Restaurant.

“I think our signature now is our Lancashire Cheese custard, it’s so good. Served with a beautiful onion dip, holy grain sourdough which is local too,” Dave proudly states, unveiling one of Podium’s signature dishes that embodies the essence of local collaborations.

A chance pandemic collaboration with the Hilton Podium Restaurant

Reflecting on the challenges of the pandemic, Dave shares, “One of our first relationships was in January 2021 with Holy Grain and 3 Hands Bakery –  making these amazing toasties. The best sandwiches I’ve ever tasted in my life.

“It’s a rewarding thing to help local businesses. You need people’s passion for their ingredients to create something special.

“In many ways, we’re the least important step of the whole process. We’re just putting it together and putting it on a plate,” Dave humbly acknowledges, recognising the collaborative effort that goes into crafting memorable culinary experiences.

“With Brexit, we’re having to look closer to home for ingredients, which means local suppliers are becoming really inventive, pushing the boat out and trying new things, and it’s been great really,”

Dave remarks, shedding light on the evolving landscape of local sourcing post-Brexit.

Podium restaurant commitment to excellence

“Podium prides itself on these relationships, using bespoke suppliers and creating wonderful food for people who come to the restaurant.

“With every new supplier, it adds another string to our bow,” Dave Ashton concludes, encapsulating the restaurant’s commitment to local excellence and the continuous expansion of its culinary repertoire.

Long may the relationships between big restaurants and local suppliers continue, with the thriving synergy between local suppliers, passionate chefs, and a community that cherishes exceptional culinary experiences.

If you’d like to book a table at Podium, please click here