When did you last have Sri Lankan food? I’m guessing it’s been a while, right? If indeed you’ve ever enjoyed it.

Manchester just doesn’t have that many Sri Lankan places to eat out or order from. London does – and in true Northern style, I cannot bear to be out down by the South. That is one of many reasons it’s so exciting that Malanie and Michael have settled in Manchester and brought their amazing family recipes with them.

They started their business in June 2020, and it’s grown incredibly in that short time. They both have an impressive range of experience as chefs – Malanie’s specialism is as a pastry chef, while Michael’s CV ranges from top London restaurants to working at our very own People’s History Museum. They may not have been running their own company for long, but this experience shines through – as they’ve already been nominated for Manchester’s food trader of the year award.

Working in a kitchen is notoriously stressful and is getting more so with fewer people to take the jobs in kitchens that are critical to the smooth operation of the whole process. SO, what do you do if you’re a talented chef in that situation? Well, do it yourself of course – and do it better.

When the pandemic hit, they were ready to keep us all going with their delicious range of home-delivered food. This included everything from red chicken curry to parippu, contained in boxes you could just pop in the microwave.

They’ve now broadened their offering to supper clubs and markets, where they offer grab-and-go toasties and Sri Lankan inspired loaded fries (heaven!). They’ve got more events booked in at Taste of Honey on Burton Road, so keep an eye out for these coming up! They also cater for corporate events and larger private gatherings, so you can always pop them a message if this is something you’d like to treat yourself with.

They work with lots of local suppliers, including the Crafty Cheese Man, Out of the Blue and Better Veg. This helps keep their dishes sustainable and they’ve found lots of creative ways of adapting traditional Sri Lankan recipes to what’s available seasonally and locally. There are also lots of vegan options available – aided by the fact that Sri Lankan’s traditionally use coconut milk anyway. They really do have something for everyone!

Keep an eye on their Instagram for more information about this amazing local company. A special shout out here to Anna who does their designing and marketing. She helps make all their food look especially tantalising. Today is the day to try something new and support an exciting new Mancunian meets Sri Lankan business.