When you compare the success stories of those who have relocated to the Isle of Man, very few stand out more than Phil Taylor’s.

The founder and owner of Rock Food Concepts (which boasts 14North, Little Fish Cafe and Bath & Bottle amongst its ranks), Phil followed his parents to the island in 2009 and found himself talking with local producers at the Isle of Man’s inaugural Food Festival, a chance encounter that would kickstart the inception of one of the island’s most prolific brands.

After studying a split degree in economics and accounting at the University of Birmingham, Phil quickly realised that this wasn’t for him, and being a self-confessed foodie he enrolled at the Ballymaloe Cookery School, a privately-run cookery school in Shanagarry, Ireland.

The course is run by renowned chef Darina Allen, the matriarch of Irish cookery who spearheaded the ’slow food’ movement in Ireland, a grassroots movement that links food consumption with a commitment to the community and the environment.

’At Ballymaloe you live on an organic farm where you milk cows, plant seeds and learn how to make your own cheese,’ explains Phil.

’You go out and visit the local producers who are making their own charcuterie, their own cider and smoking their own salmon.

’There are fifty students enrolled on the course and everyone comes away instilled with this passion for local produce, and completely believing that not only is buying and supporting local producers better for the economy, but that the products have less food miles and that they taste better. It’s all about making connections with local suppliers.’

After a brief stint in France and London, Phil found himself in Dubai working for a start-up food business that prepared sandwiches and salads for distribution across the city, yet the frustrations of a desert environment with very limited local produce (save for camel’s milk and dates) left him unfulfilled compared with his time at Ballymaloe, a frustration that satiated with a visit to the Isle of Man.

’At the Isle of Man’s Food Festival I was reminded of my time at Ballymaloe and our visits to the farmers’ markets in Cork. Producers were curing their own ham and pressing their own rapeseed oil,’ says Phil.

#It was a scene I wanted to be a part of.’

These days, the year-round availability of everything from German strawberries to Spanish peppers is pretty much ubiquitous in the island’s supermarkets, and such disregard for Manx growing seasons has become something of a cause célèbre.

What Rock Food Concepts set out to do was showcase the local produce and the local farmers in a way that was only being done by a handful of island restaurants.

’At that time, Staarvey Farm was growing beautiful organic produce, yet their products were under-utilised,’ explains Phil. ’We worked with Stephen and Jenny and helped initiate a change in Staarvey Farm’s procedures and delivery, and it’s a relationship that has continued throughout our brand’s journey.

’It’s been great to see so many more producers starting up in recent times. There’s more awareness surrounding the sustainability of using local produce, and people’s attitudes towards provenance have changed, which has been driven by a belief in supporting local.

’We’re privileged to continue working with some of the island’s leading producers, such as Bryan Radcliffe from Rye Hill Farm, who deliver incredible produce to our restaurants.’

14North opened in August 2010, with Bath & Bottle and Little Fish Café opening shortly after in August 2012 and April 2014, respectively.

The brand expanded in May 2018 with the launch of Smoo, and again in August 2018 with the opening of a second Little Fish Café in Port Erin.

To continue the growth of the brand’s ventures, Phil and his team are constantly looking for fresh ideas to keep ahead of the curve: Rock Food Concepts has worked closely with Revel in delivering outside catering for innovative events such as ISLEXPO.

More recently. 14North has a new team of chefs who have gained experience under the tutelage of Steve Dedman and Michelin starred Jason Atherton.

Whilst the expansion of the Rock Food Concepts brand continues to broaden, Phil is wholly aware that its successes can be attributed to the support of the island and its residents.

’Relocating to the Isle of Man was my best decision,’ admits Phil. ’It’s a great place to move to, look for opportunities and start a business. The response and support has been overwhelming.’