Dave Wilson's Moss Side upbringing cemented his love of Caribbean food. And it is a passion which he has turned into a business.
"I didn't have the best childhood, but cooking was the only thing I could do," he told Lancs Live.
A quarter of a century ago, Dave moved from his native Manchester to Blackburn. In 2013, he opened the Calypso Caribbean at The Wharf Inn in Blackburn.
It is now rated as the fifth best place to eat in Blackburn according to TripAdvisor. Dave revealed an unorthodox inspiration led him to open the restaurant.
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"I wanted a new direction and saw an astrologist and it came from there," he said. "During the pandemic, we were feeding about 80 people a day - old people, palliative care.
"We had to do takeaways and stuff, just to keep us above the water, but from there, we've been growing stronger."
Years later, his Mancunian roots are inspiring the menus his restaurant cooks up. Dave added: "The woman who runs Preston Carnival gave me a tip about my pepper sauce and she said my food is amazing and invited me to cook at the Carnival.
"I'm not cooking at the moment but it's all my recipes that I got from Manchester as a child."
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