Researching Michael Deane

Deane started his career at Claridge's in London. In 1993 he moved back to Northern Ireland and opened Deane's on the Square with his cousin, Haydn Deane in Helen's Bay, County Down. It was there he won his first Michelin Star.

In 1997 he opened a two-storey establishment in Belfast's city centre on Howard Street. It included Deane's Brasserie on the ground floor and Restaurant Michael Deane on the first floor. In the same year the restaurant was awarded a Michelin Star. In 2007 the name of the restaurant was changed to the simpler Deanes. It held this for 13 years, making it the longest running and only Michelin Star holder in Northern Ireland however lost this accolade in 2011, because of a 4-month closure due to frost damage and severe flooding. Deanes has also been awarded four Automobile Association Rosettes. The Brasserie held a Bib Gourmand from Michelin. Deane now owns Deanes Meatlocker, Deanes Love Fish and Deanes Eipic, all of which are located on the ground floor of the Howard Street building with a private function room on the first floor. He also owns Deanes Deli on Bedford Street, located close to the BBC NI headquarters, Deanes at Queens in the Queens University area and Deane and Decano on the Lisburn Road, both in the South of the city.

Despite signing a contract in the 1999 season, after a successful run in the 1998 Second XI, and despite being amongst Dominic Cork's preferred non-signings for the Derbyshire team, he failed to appear often within the starting lineup of the first team, though his occasional swing bowling was enough to put even the most experienced of batsmen off, catching players like Anthony McGrath and Richard Blakey off guard.

Deane had been playing in the Second XI since 1994, where he debuted against a Durham team who drew their game after forfeiting their second innings. He appeared regularly in the Second XI Championship in 1998 and 1999, but only made two County Championship appearances, as a tailend batsman.