Philosophically inclined chef Sam Buckley is taking his acclaimed Stockport restaurant Where The Light Gets In to Manchester city centre this winter for a five-month series mixing residencies with workshops and talks.
Titled ‘A play in the City’, the series is billed as ‘a unique four-act programme that combines food, art, and urban living into an engaging narrative journey‘. The residencies will be at the Altogether Otherwise community centre in Hanover Street (November 21 to December 21) and The Bungalow at Kampus, a former security cabin on stilts in Aytoun Street (January 7 to March 30).
Sam, a former art school student who worked under Simon Rogan at L’Enclume, has made his name as a pioneer of ultra-sustainable and ethically conscious cuisine that is also hailed in the 2024 Harden’s guide as “gorgeous”. He opened Where The Light Gets In (WTLGI) seven years ago in a former coffee warehouse with huge windows.
The Manchester programme will feature ‘concept dining’, panel discussions, workshops, film screenings and exhibitions – ‘designed to question our own contributions to the landscapes of the urban and the rural and encourage an open dialogue to reflect on the balance between urban development and environmental resilience’.
“We’re embarking on an extraordinary five-month journey through food, art, and the city with Where The Light Gets In: A Play in the City. From November 2024 to March 2025, we’ll take over Manchester, creating a concept restaurant and immersive residency that questions the future of our food systems, urban development, and the very nature of how we live in cities.
“As part of this programme, we’ll host a series of workshops, exhibitions, and dining experiences, asking ourselves: are we heading toward a dystopia, or can we rewrite our future?Set against the backdrop of the vibrant city, this residency is an opportunity for the community to come together, engage in thought-provoking discussions, and immerse in a narrative that explores the tension between city life and rural traditions.
“Through these four acts, we’ll reflect on food, culture, and the environment, confronting the pressing issues of ecological responsibility. This isn’t just about dining; it’s about engaging with food stories that reflect our commitment to responsive cooking and mindful consumption. We’re inviting everyone to be part of this dialogue—exploring our identity within the city and nature, and considering what we can do to balance urban growth with environmental resilience.“
If all this sounds like hard work to digest, there should be plenty of fun too. In the third ‘act’, titled ‘Une semaine de bonté’ (a week of kindness), diners are encouraged to book a table with a stranger “to encourage discussion and conversation around the dinner table. It is often the non-tangible delights that arouse pleasure and satisfaction.“
Full details of the residencies and events can be found on the WTLGI website.
