BARNSLEY-born food reviewer Danny Malin shot to stardom during the pandemic following the launch of the hit YouTube channel Rate My Takeaway. More than 730,000 are now subscribed to the channel which has accrued more than 100 million views. He spoke with the Chronicle’s chief reporter Jack Tolson about growing up in Barnsley, meeting some of TV’s biggest names and his plans for the future.
EVERYONE likes to think of themselves as a food critic when they’re tucking into their tea - but no-one has been able to make it pay like Danny.
The straight-talking Yorkshire bloke travels across the UK to try out the best - and sometimes worst - food on offer.
But the 45-year-old’s taste buds began to form while he was growing up in Barnsley.
“I lived at a fish shop in Brampton,” he told the Chronicle.
“I then moved to Darfield when I was 12 and that’s where I went to school, at Foulstone.
“I lived in Darfield until I was around 19 or 20 before moving out but I came back to Thurnscoe later on.
“I had a good group of mates and had a great childhood.
“My grandma and I used to go into town on a weekend - we always went to Mermaid’s chippy in the centre.”
Danny visited his old home, now called ‘The Talk of the Town’ chippy in Brampton, earlier this month - and he admits it was a bit of a surreal experience.
“It was a bit weird,” he added.
“I took my dad with me but it’s been over 30 years since we lived there.
“It’s completely different now but there’s still the same paint on the front from when we were there.”
Danny worked at a butcher’s stall on Leeds Market for a number of years - and it wasn’t until the pandemic hit that he started his food reviewing.
“I was a bit of a salesman delivering to businesses but when Covid hit obviously there were no restaurants open,” he added.
“We stayed open and I started delivering to house but we did some funny videos and had some fun and it all went from there.
“The owner of the Rate My Takeaway Facebook page got in touch and said he wanted someone to make some videos.
“I was still working but then filming in my spare time - seven or eight weeks later and it went mad.”
Danny’s videos have accrued more than 130 million views and he now has almost 800,000 subscribers on YouTube - and he admits it took him a while to get used to being recognised in the street.
He added: “At first it did feel a little bit weird.
“I don’t see myself as a household name and when people were asking for photos it was a little strange.
“I like it now.
“People are watching me for 30 minutes a night so the least I can do is take two minutes out of my day to speak with them.
“We managed to get 100,000 subscribers in the first week and then in three weeks we had 200,000 - it’s unbelievable.
“I can’t go anywhere now without being stopped.
“Even when we went on holiday to Turkey I had people stopping me by the pool and when we went out.”
And with millions of people watching Danny’s videos, there’s no shock that a number of famous faces are big fans of his.
But one stands out to Danny over the rest.
“When we first started Rate My Takeaway we had a PO box and I opened it one day and there was a postcard there,” he said.
“On the front of it was a drawing of Homer Simpson eating a roast dinner.
“It was from Josh Weinstein who was the director of The Simpsons and he said that he was a massive fan - I couldn’t believe it.
“It’s such an iconic show.
“When we went on the American tour I told him that I was coming to LA and didn’t think much of it.
“He got out of the car and had a Rate My Takeaway T-shirt on - that was surreal.
“I’ve also been able to meet Toddla T and Annie Mac who have helped me with my Christmas songs and then people like Eddie Hall and Callum Simpson.”
He reckons he’s reviewed more than 600 takeaways in his time - but there’s a couple in Barnsley that really stand out for him.
“Get Smashed at Stallone’s is one of the best, as is the Tatie Lady.
“I’d love to do more in Barnsley with it being my home town.”
And after opening his first food hall at The Packhorse Shopping Centre in Huddersfield earlier this year, Danny’s got big plans for the future.
“We’ve got one food hall at the minute but we’re hoping to open a few more,” he said.
“I’d love to get something opened up in Barnsley but you never know what’s around the corner.
“We’re also looking at starting a podcast next year.”
