David ‘Butch’ Buttery – Isle of Man

David ‘Butch’ Buttery grew up on the Isle of Man in a small hotel, in which his mother cooked and his father supplied an array of seafood caught from his boat. Following in their footsteps, Butch and his wife ran hotels on the Isle of Man before travelling and working throughout Europe and the US.

When they returned from their time overseas in 1990, they set up a route 66 style diner that served huge burgers, club sandwiches and ice-creams. Towards the end of the nineties, the sold the dinner and in 2000 opened a smaller bistro called Tanroagan, which is situated on the harbour and provide a perfect location to buy fish and shellfish daily direct from the boats. The opening coincided with the growth of the Manx film industry and Tanroagan became a favourite with visiting cast and crew. This popularity was further enhanced by a write up by Stephen Fry in the US Travel & Leisure magazine, in which he said Tanroagan served some of the best seafood he had ever eaten.

More publicity followed and Butch was asked to do a number of TV appearances, including ITV’s Grubs Up with Simon Rimmer and BBC Coast with Neil Oliver, he also co-ordinated the Isle of Man episode for the Hairy Bikers  during their first series.

Although still very popular, Butch sold Tanroagan in 2006 and now has a business installing restaurant kitchens; he also cooks for exhibitions and private functions and is a chef and recipe consultant for the Manx Organic Network and Island Seafoods.

David ‘Butch’ Buttery will represent The Isle of Man in this year's Celtic Cook Off and will be competing against, Tony Singh from Scotland, Jack Stein from Cornwall, Ian Bennett from Wales, Stephane Delourme from Brittany and Gary O'Hanlon from Ireland.