Paul Rankin facts for kids
Rankin at The Good Food Show in 2011
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| Born | 1 October 1959 Glasgow, Scotland |
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Paul Rankin is a famous chef from Ballywalter, County Down, Northern Ireland. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on October 1, 1959. After he was born, his parents moved back to Ballywalter, where he spent his childhood. Paul is well-known for his cooking and for appearing on TV shows.
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Paul Rankin's Cooking Career
In 1989, Paul Rankin opened his restaurant called Roscoff. This restaurant was very special because it was the first one in Northern Ireland to win a Michelin Star. A Michelin Star is a very important award that shows a restaurant has excellent food.
Roscoff quickly became a popular place for people from the business and arts world in Belfast. People even traveled from Dublin just to eat there because it was considered the best cooking in Northern Ireland at the time. Paul sold the restaurant in 2005. Today, another restaurant called CoCo is in that building.
Many other chefs learned a lot while working at Roscoff. Some of these chefs include Dylan McGrath, Michael Deane, and Robbie Millar.
Paul Rankin also had other restaurants and cafés as part of The Rankin Group. One of these was Cayenne in Belfast. Cayenne closed on March 24, 2013.
Paul Rankin on Television
Paul Rankin first appeared on TV in a series called Gourmet Ireland. This show was made by an Irish company and was shown on both BBC and RTE. Paul and his wife, Jeanne, both starred in the program. Jeanne, who is a talented pastry chef, was also often on the BBC cooking show Ready Steady Cook.
In 1999, Paul Rankin was the first chef from Northern Ireland to receive a Michelin Star. He has also written five cookbooks. His wife, Jeanne, who is from Canada, helped him get into cooking. They were partners in their business.
In 2006, Paul competed in the Northern Ireland part of the BBC's Great British Menu. This competition was to cook a special meal for Queen Elizabeth II for her 80th birthday.
Paul Rankin also appeared on other TV shows. In 2006, he was on The X Factor: Battle of the Stars with other chefs like Jean-Christophe Novelli and Aldo Zilli. He also appeared on the TV show Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is.
Paul Rankin's Food Products
In 2002, a company called Irwin's Bakery started selling a range of Irish bread products called the Rankin Selection. They worked with Paul Rankin to create these. The first products were sold in Waitrose supermarkets. Later, you could find them in other supermarkets across the UK and Ireland.
By 2015, the Rankin Selection included popular Irish breads like soda bread, potato farls, and barmbrack. In 2021, these products were renamed Irwin's Together and no longer had Paul Rankin's name on them.
The Rankin Selection also included pork sausages. These were made by a Northern Irish company called Finnebrogue. Paul Rankin supported Finnebrogue when their venison factory was at risk of closing. He said it was "world class" and something Northern Ireland should be proud of.
Awards and Recognition
Paul Rankin has received an award for his great work in the hospitality industry. This award is called the Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality Industry Award.
Paul Rankin's Personal Life
Paul Rankin and his wife, Jeanne, were married for more than 25 years. They separated in 2011 in a friendly way.
Paul and Jeanne met in the 1980s while they were working at a famous restaurant in London called Le Gavroche. Paul started there as a dishwasher, and Jeanne started as a waitress. Soon, they both moved into the kitchen and began their careers as chefs.
Jeanne had a riding accident that caused her a lot of pain and meant she could no longer work as a pastry chef.
In August 2012, Paul Rankin talked about how Alzheimer's disease affected his family. He shared that his father was suffering from the disease and no longer recognized him.
Books by Paul Rankin
Paul Rankin has written several cookbooks, sharing his recipes and cooking tips.
- Hot Food (1997)
- Gourmet Ireland (1997)
- Gourmet Ireland 2 (1998)
- Ideal Home Cooking (1998)
- New Irish Cookery (2005)
