Paul Rankin

Irish celebrity chef Paul Rankin is one of the UK’s most beloved television chefs and restaurateurs and is known for his long running position on the TV chef and cookery programme Ready, Steady, Cook. A household name both in his home nation of Northern Ireland and in England Paul Rankin began his career washing pots in the prestigious London restaurant Le Gavroche; elevated to the kitchens in a matter of months Paul quickly demonstrated his ability not only to create interesting and inspiring dishes but also to remain calm and organised in the busy and stressful environment of a high end kitchen. Less than ten years after his first position as a chef Paul Rankin had travelled the world and held positions at establishments in both Canada and the United States and, in 1989, returned home to Belfast to open his own restaurant, Roscoff.

Combining low cost meals, jazz music and a comfortable, laid back atmosphere Roscoff quickly became a hit amongst Irish locals; In 1991 Paul and co-owner Jeanne were awarded Northern Ireland’s first Michelin star and Roscoff was named the Courvoisier Restaurant of the Year. Paul Rankin has gone on to open a number of highly successful restaurants, using enticing and exciting food combined with fun, unusual and welcoming atmospheres to create a signature identity; the couple’s second restaurant Cayenne voted Ireland’s Number 1 Restaurant. Alongside running his own eateries Paul Rankin has worked as a TV chef on a variety of popular programmes including both Masterchef and The Good Food Show. In 1996 Paul was the featured TV chef in the BBC series Techno: Food, which strived to introduce cooking and healthy eating to older children.

Paul has also filmed his own series for BBC Ireland, The Rankin Challenge, which ran for three years to much popularity. Continuing to work with wife and business partner Jeanne, Paul also hosted his own cookery segment on ITV’s morning programme GMTV and the two have published numerous cookery books and previously held positions as the resident chef and writer for Ideal Home magazine. Paul Rankin remains for many, however, best remembered for his more than ten year tenure on the BBC TV chef series Ready, Steady, Cook where he worked alongside a number of other popular broadcasting personalities and TV chefs regularly attracting 3 million viewers. Paul continues to be a regular guest on Saturday Kitchen and contributes to a variety of other cooking broadcasts. Paul Rankin is very proud of his Irish heritage and is the International Ambassador for Bushmills Whiskey, he has his own range of Irish breads with Irwins Bakery and his own range of tableware with Ulster Ceramics.