Pesto’s Picks January 2012

The New Year is almost upon us, and with 2011 having been the second warmest year on UK records hopefully our New Year celebrations won’t be blighted by freezing temperatures and relentless rain. Or perhaps that’s just wishful thinking…

With many of us about to embark upon the mission of sticking it to a long-standing vice, enter into battle with excess Christmas weight or seek out a new career as part of our New Year’s resolutions, what better time to take your mind off all that stress-inducing good behaviour and enjoy watching someone else sweat it out for a few hours, bringing us to the first pick of the year; TNA Maximum Impact Wrestling IV at the Manchester Evening News Arena. (Friday 27th January)

According to the MEN “Wrestling legends Sting and Kurt Angle head up the roster of stars from TNA’s flagship television programme Impact Wrestling.



“TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting will be making his first wrestling appearance in the UK for almost a decade alongside Olympic Gold Medallist Kurt Angle.

“Also starring at the Manchester event will be Gail Kim, Rob Van Dam, Beer Money, Crimson, Mickie James, Gunner, “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles, “Samoan Submission Machine” Samoa Joe, TNA Knockout Velvet Sky, Mr. Anderson, Matt Morgan, Bully Ray, Mexican American and many more.

“Speaking ahead of his Manchester visit, Sting says: “It has been too long since I’ve been back to the UK. I promise you there will be Maximum Impact in January 2012. It’s going to be Showtime!

“Fans will see lots of bodies flying through the air, broken tables, chairs everywhere. We call it professional wrestling. We call it IMPACT WRESTLING”.

Ooh er.

Next up from the North West we have something altogether more relaxing and a little more high-brow from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Beethoven’s Pastoral (Wednesday 11th January).

Conducted by Vasily Petrenko with Nikolai Lugansky performing Beethoven’s Overture, Prometheus, Piano Concerto No. 4 and Symphony No. 6 ‘Pastoral’ the evening is set to by truly magical, ideal for anyone wishing to wind down following the excesses of the festive season.

“One great composer: three incredible worlds. From blazing joy to blinding rage, no composer captured human emotion with more passion – or poetry – than Ludwig van Beethoven.”

Tickets range from £13 to £36, but there aren’t too many left!

Yooooooou’re gooooooorgeous! Probably words you’ve heard exchanged many times over the Christmas period if you’ve visited at least one bar with at least one over-zelous festive reveller. Well, if you’re in Glasgow this January 31st and would like to hear the song as it should be sung, britpop one-hit-wonder Babybird, or Stephen Jones as he’s less-commonly known will be performing at Glasgow’s legendary King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut.

Jones’s brand of off-beat pop will be sure to brighten up your post-christmas midweek blues, and at only £12.50 a ticket it won’t break the bank either. Support comes from the Sneaky Russians, who appear not to be Russian, but must have sneaky tendencies to have wormed their way onto the bill with their dire brand of long-deceased garage band indie-pop.

Well that’s it folks, our picks of the month for January. Next month, what with it being February and all, we’ll be doing a Valentine’s special – watch this space!

www.men-arena.com/?page_id=1867
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2080355/Feeling-hot-2011-second-warmest-year-record-hottest-spring.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Angle
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily_Petrenko
lugansky.homestead.com/
www.babybirdmusic.me

Pesto’s Perfect Trees!

Carrie and Big. Bert and Ernie. Cookies and milk. Some things just work better together, and without a tree Christmas just doesn’t work. The festive aroma, the decorating ritual and above all, presents underneath are part of what make Christmas, er, Christmassy!

Now, with there only being one days left till the big day itself, we’d hedge our bets that some of you are still scrambling to find the time to even choose a tree, never mind get it dressed up in time for Christmas morning. This is where we’re on hand to help! Here are Pesto’s top five tips for choosing the perfect tree!

1. Size does matter. If, like most of us, every inch of living space matters the last thing you want is a monster Redwood Christmas tree eating up your lounge. If you’re struggling to squeeze in a Tesco pot-plant, steer clear of lavish big trees, however tempting! Pick the perfect space for your tree and measure it before going shopping to save yourself a world of hassle later in the day.

2. Age also matters. A recent Facebook post from a most unlucky festive relative served as an excellent reminder that choosing where you buy your tree is every bit, if not more important than the tree. The relative in question splashed out a rather decadent £75 at her local farm shop only for the tree to wilt and die within ten days. Finding out whether your local tree stockist buys in their stock weekly or if it’s one big delivery will allow you to gauge how ago the tree was cut and judge whether it’s likely to be a duffer by Christmas morning.

3. Hate hoovering? The Norway Spruce might not be the tree for you…Some trees emit that gorgeous festive aroma, others retain their needles long after they’ve adopted that delightful shade of brown. For best needle retention the Noble Fir might be best for your household, while the Norway Fir really captures that festive scent.

4. Shape matters. As most Christmas trees in commercial shops have already been stuffed into nets, it makes it nigh on impossible to guess whether the tree in question has a classic Christmas tree shape, or is in fact a Side-Show Bob bonsai nightmare. Short of ripping the net off in-store (and possibly being removed from said shop) all you can do is try to find a small platform from which to gaze down the top of the tree to assess how even the branches are. Or you could try grabbing a tree from a local seller, who tend not to net their stock.

5. Fake it. If all of the above just seems too strenuous for arguably the most time-consuming month of the year, pop into John Lewis and buy a fake. Buying a fake does have its upsides; no messy pine needles, no faffing with nets, no watering around hundreds of potential fire hazards and best of all you can shove it in the attic and drag it out next year saving you time and money in the long run. All that aside, fake trees are rather naff, and it might just take you all year to find one that looks anywhere near as pretty as a genuine festive fir.

Struggling for a last minute stocking filler? Pop into Pesto today and pick up a gift voucher!

Keep up with us on Facebook and Twitter for more frequent updates.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrie_Bradshaw

http://goo.gl/xu0Cp

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norway_Spruce

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_and_Ernie

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonsai

Cinepanettone & Cocktails

Think Christmas movies, think It’s a Wonderful Life, Scrooged, Nightmare Before Christmas, the Snowman and countless other festive feelgood classics. On the other hand, think Italian Christmas movies, and imagine Carry on Camping with a festive bent.

Cine-panettone are Italian comedy movies released over the Christmas period often based in, or featuring characters from the salubrious city of Milan. They also happen to feature quite a lot of nudity and some exceptionally bad acting.

Despite poor artistic merit, garbled plot-lines, gratuitous nudity and lowest-common-denominator, fore-head walloping humour, the cine-panettone offerings continue to drive festive film lovers to the big-screen in their droves.

While seasonal blockbusters Hugo, Arthur Christmas and Puss in Boots dominate the box office in the UK and America, Vacanze di Natale a Cortina is set to take the Italian box office by storm following the official theatre release today. You can check out the clip below, but it probably won’t make too much sense unless you speak Italian.



Now, Italian festive cinema aside, the team at Pesto Deansgate have a Christmas cocktail treat in store for all the party-lovers out there! This week we’ve been filming the making of some of the brand new cocktails as concocted by our very own Bartenders Extraordinaire Marcus and Christian! The guys talked us through how to make a couple of their own creations as well as their twists on cocktail classics. We’ll be sharing our secrets on YouTube in the coming days, so watch this space!

What are you up to over the festive season? Have you got a cocktail recipe you’d like to suggest? Let us know on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pestorestaurants) or Tweet us @pestorestaurant

Cabbage Hall Open Now!

Since opening in 2006 the Pesto family has been steadily growing, with four restaurants situated in Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. Today we are proud to announce the addition of Pesto at the Cabbage Hall to the family!

Located in stunning rural Cheshire, Pesto at the Cabbage Hall will offer Pesto’s delicious Italian piattini menu, alongside real ales in a cosy pub environment.

Pesto at the Cabbage Hall can be easily located from the main scenic routes through Cheshire, namely the A49 and A54 . Tarpoley is a hub of activity in otherwise sleepy Cheshire, with frequent dressage and cycling events taking place in and around the Cabbage Hall. Nearby attractions include historic Beeston Castle and Cheshire Pony Centre.

With its traditional pub atmosphere, Pesto at the Cabbage Hall is the ideal location for a family Christmas meal, why not check out our Christmas menu and reserve a table today? To make a bespoke reservation please call us on 01829 760292 where one of the Pesto team will be happy to discuss your requirements.

If you would like to make a Christmas booking for any of our other restaurants please call us on the numbers provided on the contact page, and for non-Christmas bookings you can use our simple reservations form here.

Have you got photos from your latest Pesto outing you’d like to share? Why not post them to Facebook or Tweet us?

http://www.facebook.com/pestorestaurants
http://www.twitter.com/pestorestaurant

Interview: Victoria Jones

This week we’re catching up with Pesto’s Vicky Jones, who along with a passion for cocktails (a common theme among the Pesto team…) enjoys a bit of Ryan Giggs, Keith Lemon and, er the Royal Family!

How long have you been part of the Pesto team?

Altogether – nearly three years. I was based at Pesto Trafford Centre for two years and I’ve been at Pesto Deansgate for almost a year now.

What is the best thing about working for Pesto?

The team! I have so much fun at work every day because of the people I work with. Everybody knows each other by name and face; instead of being just an employee you’re a person.

What is your favourite Pesto dish and drink?

My favourite Pesto dish changes depending on my cravings! I’m pregnant so it really affects what I eat. When I recommend a dish I always suggest the king prawns in white wine. Its great! My drink choice would have to be a Cosmopolitan, though I must confess all the cocktails here at Deansgate are to die for!

What’s the funniest thing to have happened to you in the restaurant?

I didn’t find it very amusing but the rest of the staff did; I was walking up to a table to take an order, but tripped up on my way. I tried to pretend nothing had happened and the customers were lovely and didn’t say anything but I turned around and the staff were in hysterics. Later the customers were talking to one of the team and it turned out they found it funny too. Rather embarrassing!

Which three celebrities (dead and alive) would you invite to dinner at Pesto?


The Queen – I love the Royal Family and I hear she’s quite funny! Ryan Giggs, just because I love him and finally Keith Lemon (Leigh Francis) from Celebrity Juice as he is hilarious.

What inspired you to become a manager?

I kind of fell into it really. After moving back from Australia I started working in a pub and I continued to move up from there. It’s the perfect job for me as its very flexible and I get to talk a lot – one of my favourite past-times.

After a meal at Pesto, what’s the best thing to do in Manchester?

I would suggest the theatre as there are always great shows on, then a couple of cocktails at Pesto!

What was the last show you went to and how was it?

I saw Sister Act at the theatre recently; the show itself was great, really funny, but it was nothing like the film, which was a little unexpected.

What does the next year at Pesto hold for you?

Hopefully a really busy year; I want to learn all aspects of the business, that’s my aim!

Lattè Art at Pesto

Our restaurant managers have been busy this week with the lovely folks from Limini Coffee, who popped down to Pesto Italian Restaurants Trafford Centre to share their coffee art skills with the team.

Limini lattè artist Youri taught assistant manager Lito and the Trafford bar team how to create flowers, love hearts and teddy bears, though they might be a few more sessions away from perfecting the teddy bear!

Our coffee and machines are all provided by Limini, who we reckon provide the tastiest coffees and hot chocolates out there! So the next time you pop in on a cold winter day, treat yourself or someone else to a delicious hot drink, topped off with an adorable love heart, flower or teddy bear!

And while we're on the subject of treats, Christmas is less than seven weeks away, why not treat the office, family or someone special to a festive meal at Pesto? Check out our Christmas menu here or arrange a table here.

http://www.liminicoffee.co.uk/

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/location/trafford-centre/

Pesto Italian Restaurants Glasgow has only been open for a little over a month, but in that time assistant manager Hanna Kerr has managed to familiarize herself with a number of Pesto cocktails! We caught up with Hanna to chat Glasgow at Christmas, Ryan Gosling, the Lion King and, of course, cocktails!

How long have you been part of the Pesto team?

Two and a half months

What is the best thing about working for Pesto?

It’s a small company with interaction with the owners which makes you feel you are part of something. The team we have here are all very friendly and good at their jobs, both of which make Pesto a good place to work.

What is your favourite Pesto dish and drink?

Pizzette Capra is my favourite dish and my favourite drink is a Mojito limonata, any mojito in my book is good but with limoncello in it makes it a bit different than the usual.

What's the funniest thing to have happened to you in the restaurant?

Coming to work on a daily basis and working with Francis, John and Hugh is pretty funny in itself as they all have great senses of humour and enjoy taking the mickey out of me too much!

Which three celebrities (dead or alive) would you invite to dinner at Pesto?

Ryan Gosling, if anyone has seen Crazy, Stupid Love they will understand why I chose him. Beyonce because I think she is amazing and I know Francis would be beside himself if she came to Pesto for dinner! Lastly, Heath Ledger as I would love to find out how he went about playing the joker and talk to him about The Dark Knight.

What inspired you to become a manager?

Restaurant work is something that I have been doing since I was 14 and it is something I am passionate about as someday in the future I hope to have my own restaurant. I was given the chance to become a manager at a very young age which I was very grateful for. Being able to teach people new things and skills and learn from managers that I work with is an inspiring thing. When the restaurant is full and has a great atmosphere, you can think to yourself I’m running this shift and it’s a great feeling.

After a meal at Pesto, what's the best thing to do in Glasgow?

Princes Square is great at night, especially at Christmas when its all lit up, and there are nights where you can learn to dance salsa. At Christmas, round the corner in George Square there is an ice skating rink which is great fun to go to with a group of friends, maybe before a few drinks though!

What was the last show you went to and how was it?

Yesterday I went to see the Lion King 3d, the stampede was brilliant in 3d but Mufasa dying really upset me! It was fun to see how much I could embarrass my friend by singing along to the songs only to turn and see she was singing along too!

What does the next year at Pesto Italian Restaurants Glasgow hold for you?

I am looking forward to growing the business and making people in Glasgow aware of how good the food and service is here.

There it is peeps; head to Pesto for mojitos before an ice-skating sesh, or is that the other way round...? You can check out the rest of our interviews with the Pesto team on our blog and meet the team page.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Gosling

http://www.lionking.com

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1570728/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beyonc%C3%A9_Knowles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heath_Ledger

http://www.princessquare.co.uk/

Pesto's Picks for October

Peter Kay

October is a funny old month; supermarket shelves are filled with Halloween "goodies" including tacky nun costumes, bizarre re imaginings of the humble Jaffa Cake (they're green?) and, er, singing skulls.

The macabre displays of fake bloodied hands and packets of scabs next to Christmas crackers and spiced festive-spiced-nut-hamper-type-stuff is perhaps all that is unsettling about the naff Halloween tat maligning shop shelves this month.

But bemoan pagan festivals we shall not, for with Halloween comes some pretty spectacular events, from Alice Cooper spooky specials to secret parties in the dark heart of Glasgow.

First up though it's Bolton's very own Peter Kay at the Manchester Evening News Arena. Kay made a name for himself by twisting casually observed conversational banalities into lighthearted 'proper northern' humour. The Tour That Doesn't Tour kicked off on the 27th September and will run until October 21st. Tickets for Kay's show are scarce, so if you can't get your hands on one, why not pop into Pesto for some garlic bread?

Next up in Manchester we have another of Bolton's finest exports Paddy McGuinness for one night only at the MEN. Tickets for McGuinness's debut MEN show are almost gone, so if you want to catch this one act fast!

Actually prefers Coco Pops in the morning to live snakes

Alice Cooper has it all; boa constrictors, electric chairs, buckets of fake blood and, er, a free bus pass, cos he's a pensioner, don't you know? Veteran American rocker Vincent Furnier, or Alice Cooper to you and I will be bringing his Halloween Night of Fear event to the Manchester Apollo on Sunday October 30th. Admittedly, it's not quite Halloween, but you can bet your bottom dollar it'll be a full-on-freak show! If you're lucky enough to have tickets, be sure to stop in at Pesto en route for a round of Bloody Mary's!

Liverpool can expect a treat from Californian firecracker (or should that be firework?) Katy Perry on October 18th as she brings her musical brand of crazy to the Echo Arena.  

Katy Perry. Probably quite high maintenance.

If (for some reason) you prefer to celebrate Halloween in secret you'd be well-advised to bag yourself tickets for the Chemikal Halloween Party, because the location is, well, secret. While this might make planning your night that little bit more troublesome (finding it without some sort of assistance will likely result in failure), it'll certainly keep you on your toes.

Now at Pesto we know all about Good Food, but if you'd like to know more and you're in Glasgow this October why not check out the BBC Good Food Show at the SECC on the 21st of October? Alternatively if you don't want to learn about good food just pop into Pesto and we'll sort you out with our delicious piatinni.

Chatty man Alan Carr will be, well, standing up and, er, chatting at the SECC on the 7th and 8th October ahead of his upcoming DVDs set for release just before Christmas...how cunning.

The o2 Academy in Glasgow is set for a good ol' knees up on the 29th October at Club Noir Halloween. If there was ever a way to get down with the pagans in style, this is it.

http://www.peterkay.co.uk/

www.ents24.com/web/artist/33291/Peter_Kay.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTxL6DaOs74

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patrick_McGuinness

http://alicecooper.com/

http://pestorestaurants.co.uk/blog

http://www.skiddle.com/whats-on/Liverpool/Secret-Meeting-Place/Chemikal-Halloween-Party-2011/11526110/

http://www.katyperry.com/

http://www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com/

http://www.alancarr.net/

http://www.clubnoir.co.uk

Music enthusiast, Julia Roberts fan and Italian original Octavio Gabaldon holds of on scoffing Lasagna al Ragú with Peroni and cocktails to tell us a bit about his time at Pesto Italian Restaurant Liverpool 1.

How long have you been part of the Pesto team?

It has been nearly a year. I joined the adventure in October 2010.

What is the best thing about working for Pesto?

One of the best things is that even though I’ve been here for just a short time, all the staff made me feel like one of them from the very first day. At Pesto you work with people who very soon become friends, and when you're working with friends the job is that much more enjoyable.

What is your favourite Pesto dish and drink?

I like a lot of the dishes we serve, that´s the best thing about Pesto; why go for one dish when you can have three or four? But if I have to choose one, I would go for the Lasagna al Ragú, and to drink a refreshing Peroni Red, and Lecca-Lecca, especially after a meal when I'm getting ready to go out.

What's the funniest thing to have happened to you in the restaurant?

Once a gentleman came in with his son in a buggy, he asked for a table for two, but left the buggy at the back of one of the waiter stations and came back to me. I looked at him, he looked at me, after a few seconds he realised he had left his son in the buggy facing the wall.

Which three celebrities would you invite to dinner at Pesto?

Frank Sinatra would have been one of them, Spanish football legend Raúl Gonzalez, although he´s still playing, and Julia Roberts.

What inspired you to become a manager?

The challenge of bringing your idea of perfect service to reality. It´s not an easy thing to do, it´s something you have to work on everyday, but it's the greatest feeling when you see it happening, and when you see it reflected on the customers’ faces.

After a meal at Pesto, what's the best thing to do in Liverpool?

Out and about, there's a lot to see in the Liverpool 1 area; Albert Dock, which has fantastic views, Matthew Street which is full of history, and of course brilliant shopping.

What was the last show you went to and how was it?

We had the Matthew Street Music Festival two weeks ago, I had a fantastic time going from one stage to another listening to all kinds of music, having fun with friends and people I'd just met in the street.

What does the next year at Pesto hold for you?

I will keep trying to bring a piece of Italy to Liverpool, and hopefully bring Pesto to more and more people everyday.

To meet the rest of the Pesto team why not check out our other blog posts!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julia_Roberts

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/section/pasta-e-riso/

http://www.peroniitaly.com/gb

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ra%C3%BAl_Gonz%C3%A1lez

http://www.albertdock.com/

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/location/liverpool-one/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Sinatra

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/about/meet-the-team-at-pesto-italian-restaurants-manchester-liverpool-glasgow/

Pesto's Picks for September

Well, the month of August has been and gone, and what an ass-kicker of a month it was! The tail end of the month saw Formula 1 legend and all-round handsome devil Jenson Button doughnut his F1 car up and down Deansgate – right outside Pesto! We were all just a tad excited, so excited in fact that we put up balloons...and flags...and took pictures....and may have made a Jenson montage video! You can view it right here or in its full glory on the Pesto Italian Restaurants YouTube page. Pics are also available on our Facebook page - http://facebook.com/pestorestaurants

Now, on with September - though after the August we've had, it's going to take some beating! First up, a bit of trumpet blowing on our part; as the long-awaited (and somewhat overdue) Pesto Glasgow opening draws ever closer....

Originally set to open in August, the grand unveiling of the biggest Pesto Italian Restaurant yet, has been nudged back a few weeks to Monday the 12th of September at 12pm. While we couldn't blame you for thinking we've been so distracted by our tasty food that we've frittered away the summer dining al fresco on our Deansgate and Liverpool terraces and kicking back at the Trafford Centre – we can assure you that hasn't been the case...well, not entirely.

In short, we wanted to make sure that all three glorious floors on our new St Vincent Street site were every bit as stunning as the food and fine wines on our menu, and to do this takes time and patience, lots and lots of patience! Remember folks, patience is a virtue, and in just ten days time Pesto Glasgow will at last be open – we reckon it'll be well worth the wait!

In Manchester this September we have Tottenham jazz, blues and all round good-egg Adele bringing her latest bag of hits to the Manchester Apollo on the 16th and 17th.

If jazz and blues isn't really your cup of tea Tennessee's greatest export after Jack Daniels, Dolly Parton rolls into town on the 11th at the MEN Arena. Tickets have been sold out for some time, so you might need to employ a little creativity to blag your way into this southern spectacular. 

In Liverpool this month we've got a world premiere of the exhibition Wallace and Grommit at Spaceport. The exhibition has been specifically designed for Spaceport and features a collection of crazy inventions and fascinating facts about the moon, the history of space and our solar system. This is one for the whole family and is definitely not to be missed! 

Finally we head north to Glasgow, where at last the foray of Brad Pitt's upcoming zombie epic World War Z has just drawn to a close after a fortnight of A-list chaos!

The tragically short life of Celtic goal-keeping legend Johnny Thomson runs for five days this month at the city's Kings Theatre, a brilliant show for football fans and for anyone who enjoys an emotive tale steeped in melancholy. The Johnny Thomson story kicks off on Monday September 5th at the Kings Theatre and runs until Thursday the 10th September.

Our personal highlight for September in Glasgow is the Midweek Magic show at the Corinthian. Two of Scotland's most respected magicians Liam McLaughlin and Douglas Cameron present an evening of illusions, mind reading and, er, magic. Hosted in an intimate venue tickets will surely be snapped up fast at only £10 per person. There's said to be strange happenings at this event, so perhaps head to Pesto for some cocktails first to settle your nerves!

http://www.formula1.com

http://www.jensonbutton.com

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/location/deansgate/

http://facebook.com/pestorestaurants

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/location/glasgow/

http://www.adele.tv/home

http://www.o2apollomanchester.co.uk

http://www.jackdaniels.com/

http://www.men-arena.com/

http://www.dollyparton.com/

http://www.spaceport.org.uk/content/Exhibitions.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Thomson_(footballer)

http://www.atgtickets.com/King's-Theatre

http://www.midweekmagic.co.uk/

http://www.lmlmagic.com/

http://www.douglascameron.com/

Bonkers Bank Holiday!

Ordinarily bank holidays are an opportunity to kick back and relax, chillax, if you will. However, this August bank holiday is set to be anything but laid back, with Manchester Pride taking over the city and Jenson Button bringing his F1 car down the city's gorgeous Deansgate.

Pop heavyweights Alexandra Burke and Pixie Lott are just a couple of the many artists performing at this years Pride Festival.

Local talent, including Corrie's Bruno Langley and Hollyoak's Abi Phillps will also be performing at the Big Weekend in Sackville Gardens, while authors, including bestseller Louise Rought will be delivering talks in Deansgate's Waterstone's book store.

The Parade starts on Deansgate at 1pm on Saturday through St Ann's Street, Cross Street, Albert Square, Princess Street and finishing on Whitworth Street – why not get yourself down to Pesto Deansgate for noon and kick off the day with some of our delicious cocktails? Noon isn't too early for cocktails, surely...? 

Our personal highlight of the Pride weekend is the Pink Dog Show (yes you read that correctly) Manchester & Cheshire Dogs’ Home has teamed up with Barking Barbers for this camp canine carnival – not one to be missed!

As all the Pride excitement draws to a close, Formula One champion Jenson Button will be setting pulses racing as he brings his F1 car for a spin down Deansgate on Monday afternoon! If you're making your way into town to catch a glimpse of Jenson, why not take the best seat in the house on Pesto Deansgate's leafy terrace?

If you'd like to share your bank holiday weekend photographs with Pesto, why not head over to our Facebook page and pop them on there? If Twitter is more your bag, you can follow us at http://twitter.com/pestorestaurant

http://manchesterpride.com/
http://jensonbutton.com/
http://formula1.com
http://alexandra-burke.us
http://pixielott.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruno_Langley
http://abiphillips.com
http://manchesterpride.com/whatson/bigweekend/sackvillegardens
http://louiserought.com
http://pinkdogshow.co.uk/
http://dogshome.net
http://barkingbarbers.co.uk
http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/location/deansgate/ 
 

Pesto Italian Restaurant Glasgow Manager John

There's been much ado in Glasgow this month with the filming of Brad Pitt's latest action movie World War Z and of course final preparations for the grand opening of Pesto Italian Restaurants Glasgow! 

We thought it might be wise, before all the action really kicks off, to chat to our brand new Glasgow manager John McGhie - rugby enthusiast and whisky fan!

How long have you been part of the Pesto team?

Nearly two months, just started in July.

What is the best thing about working for Pesto?

The opportunity to be part of an ambitious small company that will thrive in Glasgow’s busy city centre.

What is your favourite Pesto dish and drink?

My favourite dish is the Salsiccia Peperonata, love the Italian sausage, so spicy. I enjoy my red wine and favourite one is Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo.

What's the funniest thing to have happened to you in the restaurant?

Unfortunately nothing funny to report in Glasgow yet, but hopefully that will change as soon as we open.

Which three celebrities (dead or alive) would you invite to dinner at Pesto?

Michel Roux Jnr, really admire the passion and dedication into everything that he produces. For comedic value Ed Byrne, think he is one of the best stand ups around. Finally Gary Armstrong the former Scotland scrum half to hear the stories of Scottish rugby and meet the man I tried to model myself on when I played in the same position.

What inspired you to become a manager?

I started as a waiter to get through University but was caught up with the buzz that working in a restaurant brings and knew that this was the career for me. What happens each day cannot be predicted and I love the challenges that brings and overcoming them. Being able to interact with people from every walk of life and provide them with fantastic service and pushing to maintain those standards though developing and working with great teams keeps me wanting more as a manager.

After a meal at Pesto, what's the best thing to do in Glasgow?

Glasgow has such a varied culture that there is something for everyone to do, be it go out for a cocktail in a stylish bar or enjoy a whisky in a small pub somewhere with a live band play, or maybe go look at the fantastic buildings that make Glasgow what it is. I could keep going but there is too much to say. 

The Gallaghers. No, wait, it's just some apes.

What was the last show you went to and how was it?

Last thing i went to see was Rise of the Planet of the Apes which i really enjoyed, Going to see Jimmy Eat World at the end of the month which will be amazing.

What does the next year at Pesto hold for you?

The next year will hold a lot of hard work and dedication from the entire Pesto team at Glasgow to ensure that we strive to provide the best quality of food, service and experience that there can be. It is a challenge that myself and the team cannot wait to begin and enjoy everything that is thrown at us.

Pesto Italian Restaurant Glasgow opens September 5th at 6pm on the absolutely stunning St Vincent Street - see if you can spot it from the fan footage of World War Z!

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/world-war-z/

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/location/glasgow/

http://www.jimmyeatworld.com/

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1318514/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Armstrong

http://www.edbyrne.com/

http://www.michelroux.co.uk/

World War Z, Or World War P?

OK, so we're just a little excited; Brad Pitt's upcoming zombie flick is set for action right outside Pesto Glasgow!

Alongside Pitt, one half of Hollywood's most powerful super-couple, Mireille Enos of The Killing and veteran actor Bryan Cranston will star in the Max Brooks adaptation World War Z.

World War Z author Max Brooks has penned a number of zombie books, including the bestseller The Zombie Survival Guide and graphic novel Zombie Survival Guide: Recorded Attacks, World War Z has been praised by fellow zombie writer and acclaimed comedy actor Simon Pegg.

Now, we hate to brag (well, hate is a strong word), but at Pesto we've had a slew of celebrity diners in our Manchester and Liverpool restaurants recently, from Heather Morris and the Glee crew to 70's pop icon Debbie Harry - we reckon our unique piattini menu might well be delicious enough to draw in the Worlds Sexiest Man.

If you fancy your chances at star-spotting, or just want to check out a great place to dine out any night of the week, why not peruse our menu?

Naturally we got our knickers in something of a knot when we spotted the Hollywood crew assembling some very flash props on Pesto's beautiful St Vincent Street – just check out this brilliant fan vid!

We'll be updating the blog regularly with news and pics of all the excitement, but if you're in Glasgow and you spot a some Hollywood hoo-ha why not post it on our Facebook or Twitter pages?

http://maxbrooks.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_Z
http://www.randomhouse.com/crown/zombiesurvivalguide/index2.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Zombie-Survival-Guide-Recorded-Attacks/dp/0715638157/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1313596796&sr=1-1 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Pegg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mireille_Enos

http://www.amctv.com/shows/the-killing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Cranston

http://www.facebook.com/PestoRestaurants

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/location/glasgow/

https://twitter.com/pestorestaurant

Interview: Nigel Bradbury

Pesto Italian Restaurants Manchester veteran Nigel talks to us about his time at the restaurant and his appreciation for the work of David Jason and Victoria Wood!

How long have you been part of the Pesto Italian Restaurants Deansgate team?

I have been working for Pesto for 4 and a half years now. I worked at our Trafford centre branch for four years before moving across to a new challenge at our Deansgate branch just before Christmas last year.

What is the best thing about working for Pesto?

Pesto is like a large family. You are able to contribute towards and get involved in the development of the business. It is also great job satisfaction to be able to meet new and regular customers every day, welcoming them into the pesto experience and family.

What is your favourite Pesto dish and drink?
 

White wine is a guilty pleasure for me. I would thoroughly recommend our Soave DOC. My favourite dishes have a habit of changing as I do like everything on the menu! If I had to choose it would be the Peperoni Ripieni and the salsiccia peperonata. I have a sweet tooth too and can’t say no to a dessert, our mascarpone cheesecakes tempts me every time!

What's the funniest thing to have happened to you in the restaurant?

There are too many to say. Every day you get to speak to new and familiar faces who have so many stories to tell and make you laugh, unfortunately some I don’t think I could repeat!

Which three celebrities (dead and alive) would you invite to dinner at Pesto?

There are so many people to choose from the three I would choose are David Jason – a great British actor, who could forget Only Fools and Horses! Adele as she is a very talented singer and down to earth and Lee Evans as he is a great comedian and would fill our evening full of laughter!

What inspired you to become a manager?

I started out as a waiter and have worked my way up to my current position of Deputy Manager. I love the fact that no two days are the same and I get to meet people from all walks of life. I relish the challenge to ensuring every customer we meet receives great customer service every time. I have been lucky to have learned a lot from some inspiring managers on my way up the ladder. I am still learning something new every day and that challenges me to strive even higher to deliver the outstanding service we deliver every day. There is no other job I would rather do!

After a meal at Pesto, what's the best thing to do in Manchester?

There are many amazing bars and clubs and music venues that attract an array of stars, celebrities and of course nothing beats a night out than with friends and the great warm and friendly people of Manchester.

What was the last show you went to and how was it?
 

I recently saw the day we sang by Victoria wood. This was Victoria Wood at her best; she is a great British comedian who we don’t get to see enough of. They play was moving and worth the standing ovation at the end. I hope she is back again soon with another play or touring as she's very funny in the way she delivers comedy - she’s unique!

What does the next year at Pesto hold for you?

To continue to welcome new customers who will become friends and to making our next year just as busy and as exciting as last year!

We reckon after all the goings on at Pesto Italian Restaurants Manchester and Liverpool over the last couple of months (free Blondie tickets from Debbie Harry and a night on the tiles with Heather Morris) there'll be no shortage of diners to keep the Pesto team busy and excited!

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/location/deansgate/

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/giggling-with-glee-at-pesto-deansgate/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Jason

http://adele.tv

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Evans_%28comedian%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Wood

http://www.pestorestaurants.co.uk/menu/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Only_Fools_and_Horses

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150301293009743&set=a.10150113595239743.276775.363209709742&type=1&theater