Squidly Diddly – it’s fun to say and even better to eat.
A name once heard, it’s quite hard to forget. That was the whole thinking behind it when Brogan Ellis-Rimmer, just 17, started his own food stall and in the process – amassed a cult following of calamari comrades. This is an inspiring tale. One of a boy who carries much more age and experience than his provisional would suggest. A boy who can’t legally drink yet has fed thousands of people his squid and sweet potato fries combo. A boy who plans to have his own restaurant before he could have finished his degree. A boy who, despite it all, is living his dream.
Brogan attended West Derby school. Like many teenagers, he didn’t really enjoy school from an educational perspective but fell in love with cooking. It all stems from primary school where in an innocent cooking lesson, Brogan’s passion began for all things food. After his GCSE’s, despite his parents opinion, he decided not to go on to sixth form. He started working at Fuel Station, a meal-prep place for busy people on the go in need of a healthy, home-cooked meal. From there he has also done shifts at Izakaya, the Japanese eatery on Castle Street and it was with them, working on the fryer, he knew there was no going back.
After a quick look around the Sefton Park Food & Drink Festival, Brogan was looking for a gap in the market. It turned out there was a lack of squid. So far Squidly Diddly has been at Liverpool Food and Drink Festival and Southport Food and Drink Festival with up to an hour wait at both events. Turns out people really love squid, huh? You really can’t beat a box of steaming hot and delicious squid in a crispy batter and soft in the middle sweet potato fries. He plans to take Squidly Diddly everywhere and will be starting to trade at Wigan Foodie Friday’s. Considering Baltic Market is not far from opening, we think you can all guess he’ll be in there slinging squid very soon.
If you’re out and about at a food festival and see Squidly Diddly, go and say hello and get some of his squid. His Dad will take your order – Brogan will cook it for you and Dan will add the finishing touches to give you a ‘taste delight’. We wish Brogan the best of luck, even though deep down we know he doesn’t need it. The world is your oyster mate – well, or your squid.