See you at Sweet Mandarin and I’ll happy give you a rendition of Eliza Dolittle ‘The rain in spain stays mainly on the plain’. It will crack you up. I promise. Book a table here.

As I was serving these wonderful folk, my heart twinged with sadness and longing. Unlike my grandma’s and mum’s businesses who have loyal regulars every single week – on the same day, at the same time – ordering the same dishes (‘Usual please’) for the last 50 years – being located in the Manchester city centre area – the population is far more transient.

Nonetheless, I value my regular customers and corporate clients and set myself a personal challenge to get to know my regulars with a view to build a lasting legacy for Sweet Mandarin and future generations. Helen, Janet and I want to invite you to my very exciting events see below. Who knows, maybe after my 50 years, our grandchildren can invite you, our regular customers to a wonderful event like the above.

July Events

13th July 6-8/9pm Rich Dad Poor Dad Cashflow Game (free)

18th July 6-8pm Twitter v Flickr Meet Up (free)

10th August 6-8/9pm Rich Dad Poor Dad Cashflow Game (free)

Congratulations to all the Graduates.

We see new friends coming in and old friends are about to leave. Graduates now have a big decision to make in their life track. Some of them will start their career next summer while others will plan for their further study. Time flies. Three years at university transform a person from a high school student to a professional ready to serve society. We at Sweet Mandarin congratulate you on your hard earned degrees and give you our best wishes.

But before you start to fly high, please slow down and spend a quiet moment on your university campus, where you have been studying, working and making friends for three years. Give sincere thanks to every road you went through, every book you read, and every friend you made. Because once you begin to work, you will see how different it is from university life.

At university, all moments, happy or sad, have been treasures from heaven. Pack them up in your mind, and embark on a new journey. Plenty more such moments are waiting for you in the years to come. Whether these moments are good or bad, you will understand life through experiencing them.

Years later, when you are in another part of the world, the moment you think of your youth, you will realise that part of your heart is still at university and Manchester will always be your home!

To celebrate, join us at Sweet Mandarin for a graduation banquet. To book a table email Lisa@sweetmandarin.com or book here

Today, there are so many incredibly delicious brands of chocolate to indulge in but there is one that is dear to my heart and which my sweet tooth craves, and that is Ferrero Rocher.

As a kid growing up in the backstreets of Manchester, I was mesmerized by the adverts that surrounded Ferrero Rocher – the tray filled to the brim and eventually the last one was distributed around a room filled with impossibly glamorous people and an even more dazzling chandelier.

Every Christmas, Chinese takeaway owners visit neighbouring Chinese takeway owners and usually bring chocolates and oranges. Well the oranges were usually discarded to the kitchen, but the chocolates were inspected and given a shake through the wrapping paper to try to distinguish what kind they were. Most were recycled by way of gifting them to another visitor but when it came to receiving boxes of Ferrero Rocher, I ensured those boxes of chocolates never left our premises.

There is an art to eating a Ferrero Rocher. The way I have always always always insisted upon to my siblings (after all I am the oldest by 2 minutes), is to eat layer by layer but DO NOT break the wafer shell. When one has nibbled away at the chocolate encrusted nutty layer, the wafer shell should be opened and the hazelnut Nutella goo should be scooped out (with the tongue of course) and the whole hazelnut hidden inside the hazelnut Nutella goo eaten as best possible without it getting stuck in the teeth. At the very end, that is when one can pop the two wafer shells into the mouth to melt. It takes so much better than just crunching into one of these beauties. Try it and let me know the difference. You’ll thank me for the advice above and that is why Ferrero Rocher makes #970 Sweet Nothing.

Virgin Trains now have regular trains every twenty minutes from Manchester to London and vice versa. Travelling down on the Pendolino faster-than-a-bullet trains  takes a record 2 hours and 10 minutes rather than the previous 6 hour zombified journeys one used to have to endure.  So technically I could be in London faster than getting from one side of Manchester to the other side.

Whilst London offers incredible opportunity and a zillion potential customers from all regions of the world I’m happy to dip in and out of London rather than pitch up Sweet Mandarin in the capital.

I find it sometimes so busy that the zillions of people that are tripping me up left, right and centre that I can’t do everything I want to do in London. Travelling on the tube for instance is my biggest nightmare. Its claustrophobic and I’m breathing in this hot rancid air that makes me faint. Even after a super super shopping spree, getting back to Euston and then getting a seat on the train back to Manchester is that little bit more stressful. That’s because everything is faster and rather than 10 to 1 person buying that sweater or train ticket, its more like 100 to 1 in London.

Personally, after I’ve collapsed in my train seat there is no sweeter image and sound than seeing the Manchester skyline and hearing the words now arriving at Manchester Piccadilly. That’s why this royal welcome home makes #975 Sweet Nothing.

For me, the family table is the heart of the house, where all the highs and lows of the day are celebrated or commiserated. It’s a sanctuary which rejuvenates me not only physically but spiritually and emotionally. In this day and age where there are more and more people living alone, the family table is replaced by a table at their favourite restaurant, Sweet Mandarin.

Dining together allows us to better understand who we are, regardless of our social status. The food does not have to be elegant, complicated or fancy. I find that busy people like simple food- the busier they are, the simpler the food. The food at Sweet Mandarin is straightforward home cooking with a few contemporary dishes.

Getting back to the table allows us to love and nurture each other and renew connections to our families – however they are configured in this diverse and ever-changing society. Such connections are crucial in a fast-paced world where we feel more disconnected every day.

One of the best ways I know to restore that daily balance is to sit down at the table. As a child, growing up in Manchester, UK, I learned the importance of the family table or eating together in a restaurant. It was there that I felt love matched only by my family’s appreciation for fresh, wholesome food, a love of good cooking, and a fellowship just not possible if you are eating on the go or if you are whizzing through the drive-in window of a fast food outlet.

These early experiences started me on my life’s journey of cooking for families. It is around the family table that there are times of celebration and times of great sadness, and always we came together to embrace the food and each other. The table is a place of communion for life’s large and small events: holiday meals, weddings, birthdays, and everyday get-togethers. We welcome you to our family table at Sweet Mandarin. Don’t be a stranger, you’re home from home at Sweet Mandarin.

Try our wonderful banquets – to be shared with friends and families. To download the menus go to www.sweetmandarin.com

Do you need to book out Sweet Mandarin for your special event – call Lisa 0161 832 8848 to discuss your event and how we can make it extra extra sweet.

Best wishes and sweet dishes to you and your family.

Lisa

www.sweetmandarin.com

Tel: 0161 832 8848

Twitter: www.twitter.com/sweetmandarin

Facebook: Sweet Mandarin Appreciation Group http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Mandarin/26658875016

Myspace: www.myspace.com/sweetmandarin

As we indulge in our two days of summer, I can finally use that bit of pavement opposite Sweet Mandarin to cavort in a bit of al fresco Chinese at Sweet Mandarin. I love sitting outdoors when the weather is warm and dry…it feels like I’m on holiday somewhere exotic. I just need the ocean to dip my toes in.

Oh, is it Pimms O’Clock already?

I found the location for Sweet Mandarin in October 2004 when it was a derelict car park. I’d been sweet talked by the developers that the area was being regenerated and that the Crowne Plaza would be opening literally next door to our building – at most a five second walk door to door. So I signed the deal and have hung in there waiting and waiting and waiting for 5 long years. Finally, after surviving beyond the odds, last year, a shiny new building was errected and became our latest welcome neighbour.

The Crowne Plaza crew namely Bob and Robin are a very friendly bunch who have the same ethos as us; to deliver a great experience to mutual clients and make them feel at home from home. They go the extra mile, and have even done that for me. Not only do they recommend their clients dine with us (we welcome you with open arms), but Robin has been that knight in shining armour when I was stranded during the snow blizzards in Manchester (thanks to freak global warming weather).

The snow was as high as the car tyre and I could not travel left, right, front or back. I just created snow circles and screamed like a girl. So I gave up on wokmobile and decided to stay at the Crowne Plaza. What a treat. The room was modern, clean, immacuate with a touch of elegance and luxury. I loved the piles of fat fluffy pillows and the power shower in particular. The next day, I was having breakfast and Robin walked past and asked what I was doing in the Crowne Plaza given that I am a Mancunian. I explained. He smiled and nodded and went on with his duties. After a sumptuous big breakfast and a good glug of coffee, I went to pay. ‘The bill has been settled Lisa. Thank you.’ I couldn’t believe it. Robin had paid for my stay out of his allowances and wouldn’t allow me to pay. Now that’s what you call a knight in shining armour.

Here’s their website – book there, its an excellent experience – home away from home http://www.cpmanchester.com/ and whilst your staying at the Crowne Plaza, book a table at Sweet Mandarin here, pop around the corner to visit me at Sweet Mandarin. It would be great to meet you and personally welcome to Manchester. Because of Robin and his generosity in my time of need, The Crowne Plaza makes my #984 Sweet Nothing.

#987 Sweet Nothing – High Energy Students

I must have been very wicked in a former life, because I am a glutton for punishment. Straight after an intense Friday night service, I’ve scheduled a cookery school session for Saturday morning. And straight after an even more intense Saturday night service, I’ve scheduled a cookery school session for Sunday morning. Often, its a battle against the clock. Wake up. Get washed. Drive – on road, avoid pedestrian. Open up just before the queue forms and psche myself up to teach.

I teach every weekend at the Sweet Mandarin Cookery School. I love meeting the students and it is their high energy which keeps me going, pumps me alive and they make me forget about that lie-in and trashy daytime tv. I teach three courses – beginners Chinese cookery, intermediate Chinese cookery and dim sum masterclasses. Courses are booked up till August (give or take one or two slots) and although my body is physically knackered, I’m up fighting, ready to teach and love bouncing off the energy in the class. If you want to find out more about Sweet Mandarin’s cookery school, click here

I know one day will never make up for all the universal joys and incredible memories of childhood that I’ve shared with my Dad but I wanted to thank you Dad, for being there for me, always, unconditionally and always fighting our corner. Together with the entire world – in celebrations of Dads all over the world on Father’s Day 20th June, I wanted to say I love you Dad.

I remember the midnight jogging sessions to Chaddy park with Dad, my siblings and our dog, Choy Sum as Mum drove the old banger alongside us. Even though we never managed to jog back as we all went home in the car – I loved that sense of adventure you instilled in us.

I remember Mum had gone out to buy the groceries and you decided to be a hairdresser for the day. We all had pudding bowl haircuts……and it was so atrocious you bought us an ice cream to make up for it. I learnt quickly not to let you touch my hair ever again!

I remember the amazing dinners you made us ranging from spare ribs to a whole steamed fish to chicken tomato with an egg in it and your amazing red cooked melt in the mouth chicken. And you allowed me to go on the woks and you taught me how to cook the perfect egg fried rice. Wow – Dad you’re the best.

And now you and the fat baby are partners in crime!

For everyone out there, don’t forget its Father’s Day on Sunday 20th June. We only have a few tables left that evening (5-11pm). If you’d like to tell your Dad you love him by treating him to a delicious Chinese banquet, I’d be honoured to serve you our sumptuous food and ice cold beers. To book your table call 0161 832 8848 or email me lisa@sweetmandarin.com .

To celebrate National Vegetarian Week, Sweet Mandarin has an exclusive offer – the Mabel’s Tofu Claypot is available at a discounted price of £7.00 – oh and you don’t have to be vegetarian to order it! Sweet Mandarin has a lot of choice for vegetarians and can even cook up the most amazing Vegetarian Banquet. To book a table click here.

Veggie myth-busters for 2010.

There are a few myths that do the rounds about veggies – the Vegetarian Society would like to kick them into touch during National Vegetarian Week.

Poor protein – wrong!
Protein is available in all foods (apart from refined white sugar and some oils) and your protein needs are automatically met by a balanced, varied diet. Meat does provide protein, however it is only one source. Nuts, beans, eggs, soya products, pulses and dairy products are all excellent sources of protein.

Veggies eat fish –wrong!
Vegetarians do not eat fish or shellfish. Fish are cold-blooded animals living wholly in water. Vegetarians don’t eat animals.

Weak and feeble, lacking in iron –wrong!
A lack of iron is one of the most common problems in a typical British diet. It is just as much a nutritional problem for meat eaters as it is for veggies and research shows that veggies are no more prone to iron deficiency than meat eaters! Even meat eaters get 86% of their iron from vegetarian sources.

Being veggie is unnatural – who says?
Arguing that an action is natural can be quite problematic. A common argument used by meat-eaters is that because we have canine teeth this is evidence that we have been ‘designed’ to eat meat. Meat eating animals have sharp claws and, since they have to kill mainly with their teeth, possess powerful jaws and pointed, elongated, “canine” teeth to pierce tough skin and to spear and tear flesh. They do NOT have flat, back teeth like us which vegetarian animals need for grinding their food. As for our sharp teeth, gorillas are entirely vegetarian – as are almost all primates – and yet have far longer and sharper canine teeth than human beings!

Vegetarianism is a fad – don’t think so!
Some people do change diets as they change fashions. However vegetarianism has been around for literally thousands of years. For example, the Greek philosopher, Plato (427 – 347 BC), and his teacher Socrates (470 – 399 BC) were both vegetarians.
In the UK the first vegetarian cookbook was written in 1812. The oldest Vegetarian Society in the world was formed in 1847 in the UK.

Thank God for Peter Kay. I love the Bolton born comic and man-of-a-thousand-faces who loves Chinese food.
Here’s my favourite joke (thanks Peter) ….. So I went to the Chinese restaurant and this duck came up to me with a red rose and says “Your eyes sparkle like diamonds”. I said, “Waiter, I asked for a-ROMATIC duck”.

Finally, Peter has returned to us in Manchester with his tour which has people in stitches as he turns the most trivial of daily nuisances in the world of the working class family, and turns them into comedy gold. Without this man, life would, quite simply, be a bit boring.

I’ll feed Peter and I’ll feed all you lovely people who are going to see Peter Kay’s show at the MEN. We are next door to the Crowne Plaza Hotel which is a short 5-10 minute walk to the MEN Arena. Approximately 40 furry footsteps and you are door to door. Click HERE for the AA Routeplanner and Map.

OK, and I’ll get you revved up with that uber-annoying (because once heard you can’t get it out of your head) ‘Is This The Way To Amarillo’ song that Peter forced upon us, Peter Kay at his exasperated best.

To book a table at Sweet Mandarin email Lisa@sweetmandarin.com or call 0161 832 8848
Sweet Mandarin Address: 19 Copperas Street (off High Street), Manchester M4 1HS

Breathe. Breathe again. I’ve got some news my friends. I’m going to be starring on Iron Chef UK when it airs on Channel 4 in April/May. This is like a dream come true for me. Thank you God. You’ve already given me an amazing blessing when Sweet Mandarin received the most prestigious accolade, winning the Gordon Ramsay F Word Best Local Chinese Restaurant award. Deep breath. My heart is racing because I love Iron Chef. I’ve watched all the American versions and am in love with Chef Morimoto and Bobby Flay. I can’t wait to get to Kitchen Stadium – this is an experience of a lifetime.

I am honoured to be invited to cook on Iron Chef and will dedicate my dishes to Manchester, my followers on Twitter and to all my clients at Sweet Mandarin. I’m gonna tweet throughout the cook off so follow me for more of the action http://twitter.com/sweetmandarin.

PRESS RELEASE: 6th April 2010
Lisa Tse to star on Iron Chef UK

Lisa Tse, CEO and head chef of the award winning Sweet Mandarin is to star on Iron Chef UK when it airs on Channel 4 in April/May. Lisa has already received one of the most prestigious accolades, winning the Gordon Ramsay F Word Best Local Chinese Restaurant award and her cookery school is now fully booked for months. This latest challenge will see Lisa battle against the Iron Chefs in a specially created Kitchen Stadium.

Iron Chef originated from Japan and its American version has received cult status as well as receiving the blessing of Michelle Obama who invited Iron Chef to the White House. In each episode, a new challenger chef battles one of the resident ‘Iron Chefs’ in a one-hour cooking competition based on a theme ingredient. In April/May, the UK will witness Iron Chef which is like no other cooking show before it. It combines haute cuisine, sports broadcasting and martial arts. It is crazy, zany and addictive.

Chef Lisa said “I am honoured to be invited to cook on Iron Chef. My three passions in life are cooking, people and business, and Iron Chef ignites all three. For everyone in Manchester, for my Twitter friends and my customers at Sweet Mandarin, I will rise to this challenge and try my best. I’ve been told that when the secret ingredient is revealed, we are free to choose what to cook and have an hour to produce something amazing. The Japanese call it omikase. I call it omigod — cooking without a net!”

For more of the action follow Lisa on Twitter http://twitter.com/sweetmandarin as she proposes to tweet throughout her cook-off.

About Chef Lisa Tse

Lisa is the CEO and brainchild behind Sweet Mandarin, an award winning Chinese restaurant, cookery school and corporate team building events organizer in Manchester, which she set up with her two sisters in 2004. Lisa won the prestigious award of Best Local Chinese Restaurant 2009/10 on the F Word and Gordon Ramsay was highly impressed with Lisa’s cooking. Sweet Mandarin has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, The Times, on BBC Newsnight and on the front cover of the Shanghai Daily. Lisa is the third generation of women in her family in the restaurant business and their story, self titled Sweet Mandarin was published by Random House in 33 countries and covered in a documentary by the BBC and the Chinese Channel. In 2010, Amoy chose Lisa as their chef of the year to celebrate Chinese New Year. Lisa has been cooking from the age of 11 years old and now cooks at Sweet Mandarin and for celebrities.

Things are always busy leading up to Chinese New Year (On 14 February, 2010 we welcome The Year of the Tiger grrr) and its super busy at Sweet Mandarin this year because I’ve agreed to be the featured chef for Amoy / Waitrose for their extra special Chinese New Year promotion.

Read our book Sweet Mandarin which charts our family’s rollercoaster history and you’ll discover an interesting nugget from our past; our great-grand father, Leung used to manufacture soy sauce for a living.  So when Amoy (the premier soya sauce manufacturer) contacted us and asked me to be their chef, it was a huge honour and from a personal perspective, this opportunity is the connecting piece that binds present to the past.

You see, in the beginning, our family were farmers in Guangzhou China who had nothing – not even a sausage. It was my great grandfather, Leung who decided to manufacture the soy beans he farmed and created the inky black liquid, soy sauce – that led our family’s journey to Hong Kong and gave us our first taste of prosperity. Yet the double-edge sword of our family’s successful soy sauce business led to rivalry and jealously from other soya sauce manufacturers.  This escalated to tragedy when my great grandfather, Leung was murdered, leaving a wife and six girls including my grandmother. Women in the 1930s were not entitled to assets, education or rights so all the assets he built up were dissapated to a distant male relative who wanted nothing to do with us. Once again, our family was plunged into poverty and my grandmother, mother and our generation have since faced adversity after adversity ever since. Yet what has pulled us through each generation has been a love and talent for cooking food – we have cooked for a living and survived thanks to our customers.  To be invited to be the chef for Amoy is bittersweet – I wish my great-grandfather were here to share in the celebrations.

I cannot wait to cook for the competition winner and look forward to the challenge ahead. Remember you have to be in it to win it, so what are you waiting for, get entering and I’ll see you in your kitchen.
Best wishes and sweet dishes

Lisa

Click here to find out more about Amoy