A Stoke-on-Trent fish and chip shop has won a major prize in a national competition, securing 10 boxes of P100 premium palm oil – a win that owner Dhruve Patel says is “the best thing since sliced bread”.
Bros Fryer, located in a busy estate parade, has been serving fish and chips for three years. Dhruve, who has spent 14 years in the industry, prides himself on delivering high quality, freshly prepared food, including homemade burgers and double-cooked chips.
With the rising cost of ingredients, the competition win came as a welcome relief. “The month I bought the shop was the month the war in Ukraine started so the last three years I’ve only known prices to go up. Winning something like this is almost a sigh of relief,” Dhruve says. “10 boxes of P100 would have cost me around £260 so to get it for free just by entering a Facebook competition is amazing.”
Having always fried in palm oil, Dhruve switched to P100 three months ago and noticed the difference immediately. “Frying fat is one of your main ingredients. I’ve tried cheaper alternatives when prices soared, but the quality just wasn’t there with the end product. P100 lasts a few days longer, works well with my frying range, and gives a brilliant finished product.”
Dhruve has to be meticulous about his frying process, using a very old three pan Ellidge & Fairley range that requires constant monitoring. “You have to be careful how you fry, it doesn’t do anything for you except hold the oil. The rest is all down to me. Frying involves a lot of skill and you need to keep an eye on the temperatures as it tends to run over sometimes. There’s nothing digital involved here!”
While Bros Fryer offers a full range of classic chip shop fare, Dhruve is clear about his commitment to the fish and chip trade. “Although we do things like pies and kebabs, I don’t want to be put in the takeaway category. I want to be part of the fish and chip group, which, in my eyes, is a higher standard. That’s why we use fresh ingredients and focus on quality.”
Despite only opening in the evenings due to limited daytime trade, Bros Fryer has built a loyal customer base. “If we’re not good, our customers don’t have a chip shop – people would have to drive out of the estate to the next shop. So for us, it’s always about making sure the quality is there and the food is as fresh as possible.”
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