Judge for the day

Being a judge for the final round of Fish & Chip Takeaway of the Year award was a bit like being handed the keys to 10 of the industry’s best shops. You get to look beyond the counter and past the frying range to see what really makes these businesses work

This year marked my fourth time on the judging panel, but it came with a twist. For me, it was the first time the final 10 weren’t required to deliver formal presentations. On paper, that might sound like a better option for the finalists – and perhaps it did calm a few nerves – but it still wasn’t easy, not knowing what was going to be asked of them.

Each finalist logged onto a Zoom call to find themselves facing a panel of judges they hadn’t previously met. Each of us had one question to ask depending on our area of expertise – mine centred on marketing. There was no pre-warning or time for shops to practice, it was just one question and a moment to answer it.

By this stage of the competition, we’re not judging how well they fry or whether staff records are up to date. Their shops, processes, food quality and standards have already been rigorously assessed in earlier rounds. The final is about the whole operator.

Are they a strong leader? Do they understand the issues facing the industry? Is their team ready if they win? Because winning isn’t just about standing on stage and accepting an award, it’s a year as an ambassador for the industry and it involves visits, media interviews, meetings and public speaking. It’s something you can’t fake, just like you can’t fake it in that final round. If you don’t know your business, if you don’t understand your customers, if what you say doesn’t match up with what was seen in previous rounds, it shows so you have to be authentic. 

And it’s fair to say that every single finalist brought something different to the call. Some are introducing alternative species to manage price pressures while maintaining quality. Others are addressing portion sizes or looking for cuts elsewhere to protect value. A few are broadening their menus, carefully, to attract new customers without losing their core identity. That’s what makes judging so interesting, seeing how shops are tackling the challenges they face in ways that suit their businesses and with so much passion and determination. 

After submitting our votes anonymously for our top three, as judges we were still none the wiser who had clinched the title of Fish & Chip Takeaway of the Year 2026 and, like the finalists, we had to sit and wait nervously for the result at the awards ceremony. And while there can only be one winner, each of the 10 finalists should be immensely proud because putting themselves in the spotlight like that, round after round, is no small feat. And that goes for every shop that entered a category, so a huge congratulations to you all, whether you were a winner or a finalist . It’s a fantastic process to be involved in, whether a judge or a finalist, and I truly hope I am asked to take part again.