Profiles

James prefers lobster to jellied eels

When celebrity chef James Tanner first saw Plymouth's Prysten House in early 1999 he thought his brother had brought him to the wrong address.

"It looked like a mini-castle and I couldn't believe it was the right place - Chris isn't exactly known for his sense of direction!".

But the agent approached the pair, brandishing a set of enormous keys and opened the door.

The brothers set eyes on the interior of the limestone building for the first time and they were smitten.

They knew immediately it was where they would set up their first restaurant.

The building, which belongs to St Andrew's Church, dates from the 1490s and is rumoured to have passages to the Hoe and to the church's crypt.

And a decade on they are celebrating 10 years of serving "intricate" fresh, local produce to customers at Tanners, which opened its doors on 17 July 2009.

The Prysten House is Plymouth's oldest building

Originally from Kent, both James, 34, and Chris, 39, have been cooking for as long as they can remember and learned a lot from their mother Beverly. 

They think they must have picked up their skills from her and not their dad Michael - "if he was boiling water he'd burn it," according to Chris.

But one of their grandfathers did work in a pie and mash shop, so does their love of fish extend to that particular delicacy?

"It's not quite my cup of tea," said James. "It hasn't made it on to the menu - I'm not a great fan of jellied eels."

But what the brothers are clear they have inherited from their dad is his work ethic.

"He was a self-employed painter and decorator so he worked all the hours that God sent," said Chris.

"And we've done the same, the hours as a chef are brutal."

Chris had his first job in a kitchen at the age of 12 and the brothers worked all over the world before deciding to setting up on their own in Plymouth.

The brothers employ about 50 people

Chris first came to the region in 1995 to set up the restaurant at Kitley House, just outside Plymouth.

The family's connection with the business extends beyond Chris and James; their brother Jonathan does their signwriting while Michael has carried out decorating work at Tanners.

A fourth brother, Adam, was a talented pastry chef who is now an engineer.

Chris and James now have two restaurants in the city - Barbican Kitchen opened in 2006 - and employ some 50 staff.

They also write cookery books and have burgeoning television careers, so what are the plans for the future?

"Well, why can't we take what we've done in Plymouth and present that to the rest of the country?" said Chris.

"Of course, it means more hard work, it's not all Ferraris and mansions with the Tanner brothers, but we'd like to think it will be!"

The conversation continually returns to the subject of produce and Chris and James see themselves as champions of what the South West has to offer.

The tables are made from a Cornish Ash tree

"Literally the guys who get our fish will be phoning us from 15 miles out to say 'James I've got some John Dory, I've got some lovely line caught cod', that's how fresh it is."

And they have no regrets about settling in the city, where they are now both bringing up families of their own.

"Plymouth to me is a vibrant, growing city with a great local warmth with brilliant produce on its doorstep," said James.

"I hope we've made other people a bit more aware of that too.

"And I hope we've helped to contribute to exposing what Plymouth's got to the rest of the country. It's got a very exciting future and we're very lucky to be here."

And by "here" I think he means the Prysten House as much as the city itself.

"I like to think we have breathed new life into it," said James.

"I know it sounds funny but sometimes, when I'm here on my own late at night, I can almost feel that the building is pleased with what we've done."

* Click on the audio links above to hear Chris and James Tanner talk about their favourite food.