Winners of this year’s National Fish & Chip Awards came together with representatives from Seafood from Norway for an engaging Inspiration Day aimed at sharing knowledge, insight and innovation within the fish and chip industry.
The event took place on Tuesday 13th May at Westminster Kingsway College, one of the UK’s most historic catering institutions, founded over a century ago and the first of its kind in Europe. Attendees later gathered at the Norwegian Ambassador’s Residence for a reception and further discussions.
At Westminster Kingsway, winners toured the college’s impressive facilities guided by José Souto, senior chef lecturer, and Paul Jervis, head of the school. The tour included the college’s state-of-the-art training kitchens, pastry and bakery rooms, chocolate lab, and 35-cover fine dining restaurant – spaces where students hone their culinary skills over three years.
Following the tour, guests participated in a cooking demonstration led by CJ Jackson, master fishmonger and CEO of Billingsgate Seafood School. The session highlighted the versatility of Norwegian saithe, a cost-effective and sustainable white fish which Seafood from Norway is keen for shops to explore in light of rising cod and haddock prices. José explained that saithe has slightly darker flesh and lacks the large flakes of cod, but praised its rich flavour, adding: “Anything that can be done with cod can be done with saithe.”
CJ demonstrated this by preparing panko-coated goujons, sparking discussion among operators about the fish’s viability on UK menus. Although some expressed concern over the darker colour, CJ showed how a technique known as “deep skinning” could improve presentation, though it requires additional skill and time. Many attendees were impressed by the flavour and texture, acknowledging the fish’s potential.
How to market saithe was another key topic. Gavin Singh, co-owner of The Scrap Box in York and winner of the NFFF Quality Accreditation Champion award, noted: “You have to be creative. You can’t compare saithe to cod or haddock – it’s a different fish. Think about offering it as goujons or fish bites, not 7oz fillets.” Many in the room agreed that adding panko instead of traditional batter gave the fish added appeal.
Kyriacos Karoulla, owner of Brockley’s Rock in London, winner of the Community Engagement award, said the price point would need to be considerably lower than cod to win his customers over. “If your cod and chips is £14 and you could put this on the menu at £7.50, it could be enough for customers to try it,” he commented.
While acknowledging that saithe is not looking to replace cod or haddock, Victoria Braathen, NSC UK director, emphasised that it adds diversity to the white fish category in light of rising cod and haddock prices. Johan Oksholen from Nor-Seafoods, representing the Norwegian fishing vessel Langøy, highlighted the significant saithe quota compared to cod, adding that it could be a great addition until the situation improves. “We’re seeing more cod and more smaller fish than last year, so will get out of the cod crisis, but it could take another two to three years.”
Later in the day, guests were welcomed by Norwegian Ambassador to the UK, Tore Hattrem, before taking part in a panel session with 2025 Fish & Chip Takeaway of the Year winner Will Burrell of Yarm Road Fish & Chips, and Kimberly and Ryan Hughes of Ship Deck, winner of the 2024 accolade.
Reflecting on his win, Will described the experience as “surreal” and like joining “an elite club”. Sharing his advice to future entrants, he said: “Be ready. Make sure your shop feels suitable and well enough staffed with a big enough and strong enough team to deal with the upcoming increase in trade, as you really do feel it after winning. Invest in your team, make them feel part of the family and pay them accordingly.”
He also stressed the importance of integrity post-win: “Stay true to yourself, there’s a big temptation to cash in the demand because you know you’ve got queues and you can open up 10 more click and collect slots, but we’ve been really keen to make sure we do things at our pace, to make sure the quality stays absolutely perfect, and to make sure that we don’t sacrifice quality for quantity.”
The day was widely appreciated by all shop owners, with even seasoned operators like Graham Kennedy, owner of Bells Fish & Chips and winner of Restaurant of the Year, finding it valuable: “It’s classed as an inspiration day and it was an inspiration. To be amongst so many like-minded people, chatting and willing to pass on their knowledge, it makes our industry stronger and it’s what makes us unique.”
The winners will reunite in June for a study trip to Sortland, Norway, courtesy of Seafood from Norway, proud sponsors of The National Fish & Chip Awards.
In attendance were:
• Bells Fish & Chips, Restaurant of the Year
• Brockley’s Rock, Community Engagement
• Country Fried, Mobile Operator of the Year
• Finney’s Fish and Chips, Environment and Sustainable Business
• Kellaway’s Fish and Chips, Finalist – Takeaway of the Year
• Mackerel Sky, Newcomer of the Year
• Millers Fish & Chips, Finalist – Young Fish Frier of the Year
• Taylors, Training and Development
• The Scrap Box, Quality Accreditation Champion
• Towngate Fisheries, mentor and head judge for Young Fish Friers
• Frozen at Sea Fillets Association (FASFA)
• Fastnet
• Smales
• Unique
• The National Federation of Fish Friers
Recent Posts
- Lockhart launches The Catering Innovation Show
- Delivery and takeaway sales flat again in April as sunshine draws people out of homes
- Chester fish frier makes history as youngest ever Acorn Awards winner
- Chippy launches fish and chips ice cream with scraps as sprinkles
- Fish and chips tops poll of favourite pub grub
