i. Biography
Before Patrick Withington founded Erst in Manchester, the route into cooking ran through plumbing, supper clubs, and travel-inspired food rather than a standard kitchen-school ladder. Entering food in his late twenties, Withington brought an outsider’s discipline to the trade, and that background still reads in a style that values ease without losing care.
The Climb
The move from plumbing into kitchens gave Patrick Withington a working education in service, not theory. At Trove in Levenshulme, then at Sirocco Supper Club, the craft was built step by step, with each role adding another layer of kitchen discipline and pace. The shape of that progression is plain: a cook formed through repetition, practical problem-solving, and the sort of learning that comes from doing the work. Since 2019, that progression has centered on Erst, where Withington has been founder and Head Chef.
Today
Since 2019, Patrick Withington has led Erst in Manchester as founder and head chef, and the restaurant’s identity has settled around natural wine and small plates. That pairing sets the working rhythm of the room: food designed to move across a table, wine chosen with the meal rather than apart from it, and a service style that stays relaxed without becoming loose. The craft here is in maintaining that balance, keeping the experience open while still controlled. The cooking at Erst is built around accessibility and a democratic table feel, with inspiration drawn from food cultures that value great local seafood and a laid-back, grown-up dining experience. In practice, that means food meant to be shared and discussed, but still exact enough to hold its own. The point is not informality for its own sake; it is clarity, restraint, and the ability to make simple service feel considered. Among the dishes tied to the restaurant, the beef-fat flatbread became a cult favourite. Recognition like that usually comes from repetition rather than announcement: a dish remembered because it lands, and because it becomes part of how people talk about the place. The path from plumbing to late-entry cook to restaurant founder gives the role its weight. Withington’s background is not a prelude to the work so much as part of its structure, and at Erst that shows in a room where wine, food, and ease are held together by steady craft.
Signature
Patrick's signature dishes include beef-fat flatbread and mussel risotto.
Recognition
Beef-fat flatbread, described as a cult favourite at the restaurant, earned its place through appetite and repetition. It is the kind of dish that becomes shorthand for a dining room: not because it performs, but because it keeps drawing people back. That sits alongside Erst’s natural wine and small-plates identity. For Patrick Withington, whose entry into food came through supper clubs and travel-inspired cooking, the recognition follows the same line as the work itself: food made to be shared, talked over, and returned to without fuss.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Patrick
What is Patrick Withington's current role?
As of 2026, Patrick Withington is Founder and Head Chef.
Where did Patrick Withington work before?
Patrick Withington's earlier career included Trove and Sirocco Supper Club.
What is Patrick Withington known for?
Natural wine and small plates.
