Paul Rankin (born 1 October 1959 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a celebrity chef from Ballywalter, County Down, Northern Ireland. Rankin's parents moved back to Ballywalter, where he grew up, some time after he was born. This was stated when he was the subject of an episode of a short programme named Proud Parents on Channel 4, made in 2006. On the episode of Ready Steady Cook first broadcast on Tuesday 26 February 2008, he himself stated he was born in Scotland. Chef In 1989 Paul Rankin opened Roscoff, the restaurant that was to become the first to win a Michelin Star in Northern Ireland. Soon after opening, it became the favourite meeting place for the Belfast business and arts community, and people travelled from Dublin simply to experience what was considered to be the best cooking in Northern Ireland at the time. Forced by financial difficulties, Rankin sold the restaurant in 2005. The building is now occupied by restaurant CoCo. Many chefs and head chefs, such as Dylan McGrath, Michael Deane and Robbie Millar, have received part of their training there. His first foray into television was in the series Gourmet Ireland, produced by Irish company Waddell Productions, and shown on both BBC and RTE. Both Paul and Jeanne starred in the show that was noted for the banter between the two. Jeanne is a successful pastry chef. He has since been a regular chef on the BBC cookery programme Ready Steady Cook. In 1999 Rankin was the first chef from Northern Ireland to be awarded a Michelin Star. He has written five cookery books and ran The Rankin Group chain of restaurants and cafés, including Cayenne and Roscoff in Belfast. His Canadian wife Jeanne introduced him to cooking and is co-owner of their business. In 2006 Rankin competed in the Northern Ireland heat of the BBC's Great British Menu, a competition to cook for the Queen on her 80th birthday. In 2006, Rankin appeared on The X Factor: Battle of the Stars, along with fellow chefs Jean-Christophe Novelli, Aldo Zilli and Ross Burden. He has also appeared on the TV programme Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is. Rankin has recently sold off most of the Rankin Group to cover business debts, leaving only the flagship Cayenne restaurant under his control, although this too was under negotiation as part of an IVA. This IVA was successful and bankruptcy was