Our Story
Chef Patron
Eleanor Ashworth
Eleanor trained at The Ledbury before stages at Noma, Copenhagen and Maison Troisgros, Lyon. She returned to her native Manchester in 2019 to open The Willow & Grain, driven by a desire to build a restaurant rooted in northern provenance and honest cooking.
The restaurant takes its name from the willow trees that once lined the Ancoats canal, and from the grain — both literal and metaphorical — that runs through everything we do. Our cooking is rooted in this place, shaped by the seasons, and driven by a deep respect for the producers who supply us.
Eleanor was named in the Harden's Top 50 UK Chefs in 2025, and The Willow & Grain holds two AA Rosettes and a Michelin Guide recommendation.
Our Philosophy
We believe the best cooking begins with the best ingredients, sourced as close to home as possible. Our menus change with the seasons — sometimes week by week — and are built around what our suppliers bring to the door.
We ferment, cure, pickle, and preserve to extend the season and to draw more flavour from each ingredient. Nothing is wasted. Our bread is baked daily, our butter churned in-house, and our charcuterie aged in our cold room below the kitchen.
This is not about complexity for its own sake. It is about giving each ingredient the respect it deserves and presenting it with clarity and care.
Provenance
Our Suppliers
We work with a small number of trusted producers across Lancashire, Cheshire, and the Peak District.
Johnson & Swarbrick
Goosnargh, Lancashire
Free-range duck and chicken, reared on their farm since 1987. The backbone of our poultry programme.
Turnstone Fisheries
Fleetwood, Lancashire
Day-boat fish landed each morning. Our turbot, brill, and brown shrimp come direct from the Irish Sea.
Mrs Kirkham's Dairy
Goosnargh, Lancashire
Raw-milk Lancashire cheese, made by hand to a three-generation recipe. A permanent fixture on our cheese course.
Peak District Foragers
Derbyshire
Wild garlic, elderflower, damsons, and mushrooms foraged sustainably from the Dark Peak and Hope Valley.
The Team
Eleanor Ashworth
Chef Patron
Eleanor trained at The Ledbury before stages at Noma and Maison Troisgros. She returned to Manchester in 2019 to open The Willow & Grain.
Tom Isherwood
Sous Chef
Tom joined from L'Enclume in 2020. His background in fermentation and preservation adds depth and complexity to the kitchen's output.
Daniel Varga
Sommelier & Restaurant Manager
Daniel brings fifteen years of front-of-house experience across London and Manchester. His wine list balances Old World classics with emerging English and Central European producers.
Anya Patel
Pastry Chef
Anya's desserts are rooted in British tradition but executed with a modern lightness. Her forced rhubarb course has become a signature of the spring menu.