Picking up tips

Nick Lomvardos, owner of Bishopston Fish Bar, recently welcomed Frymax Ambassador and renowned fish frier Zohaib Hussain to his fish and chip takeaway in Bristol

Nick has been in the fish and chip trade for 40 years. Alongside his second shop, The Jolly Fryer, he has built a reputation for quality, consistency and old-school standards. When he won a visit from Frymax Ambassador Zohaib Hussain, owner of Zero Plus in Cardiff, it turned out to be a meeting of shared history as well as shared experience as Nick was born above a fish and chip shop in Cardiff, while Bishopston Fish Bar was Zohaib’s local chippy when he was at university in Bristol. “I knew the shop had an exceptional reputation,” says Zohaib.

Nick, a loyal Frymax user, entered the Frymax competition for the opportunity to hear from someone else in the trade. He comments: “It’s always good to pick up little tips here and there, you have to move with the times, and I was especially interested in learning more about oil management.”

During the visit, Zohaib reviewed Nick’s oil routine, temperature control and frying process. Nick already filters his oil daily and manages it carefully, but the biggest takeaway was how to adjust temperatures during quieter periods.

“I was trained by my dad who was so particular about temperatures, so I’ve always done it the same way,” says Nick. “Zohaib suggested that when it’s quiet, keep the temperature lower, but the minute a customer walks in, turn it up and put the chips in so the thermostat kicks in earlier, then flick it back down. It means the oil cuts off around 150 degrees and you’re not burning it. It makes the oil last a lot longer, which is so important at the moment with prices of everything rising.”

Nick has already passed this on to his manager who agreed it was “very clever”.  He adds: “He’s right. Oil isn’t cheap so you’ve got to look after it. Oil, potatoes and fish are the three things that make great fish and chips, and I honestly think oil is the most important.”

The pair also discussed portion control, menu structure and meal deals. While Nick sticks firmly to his long-standing habit of giving away a few chips with certain orders, he appreciated the advice on adding a drink to his meal deal to increase the average order value while offering a full package meal that can be marketed. “I’m waiting for the weather to get a bit warmer to add that, but it makes sense, a drink goes well in a meal deal,” says Nick.

Enjoying the opportunity to share his knowledge and experience, Zohaib adds: “Nick is a very skilled frier with decades of experience. Together, we just fine-tuned a few things like oil management, margins and marketing so Nick can protect quality while getting the very best out of his operation.”

Frymax www.frymax.co.uk