Tony’s Fish & Chips in Ryde, the Isle of Wight, has cleaned up, winning a Merlin Maestro filter machine in a competition organised by premium palm oil brand P100.
Oliver Jones, who was appointed by the owners to manage the takeaway and 50 seater restaurant two years ago, entered the competition after stopping by the P100 stand at the T.Quality Fish Frying & Fast Food Show in June.
Worth over £2,800, the filter machine was the first model off the production line for Premier1 Filtration and came with a certificate of authentication plus a bundle of accessories.
“It’s amazing to have won the filter machine,” says Oliver. “I’ve won the odd £50 on a scratch card but nothing like this before. I can’t thank P100 enough.”
With the filter machine delivered last week, Oliver hasn’t wasted any time making use of it and says it has already improved the business’s oil management procedures. 
“In the long-term, having the filter machine is going to help us reduce the amount of money we’re spending on the oil because it keeps the oil cleaner for that bit longer,” he says.
“At the moment, the main benefit is the fact it cuts the time it takes to clean down dramatically. We used to just filter the oil by hand in the morning but now we stay behind a little bit after closing, turn the pans off, wait for them to drop to the right temperature, and turn on the filter machine. It’s that easy and it means the next morning we haven’t got any of the faffing around, warming the oil warming up and filtering. We just top it up and it’s perfectly clean.”
Listed in the ultimate guide to fish and chips written by the Isle of Wight’s official tourism website, Tony’s is described as a “gem” known for its “friendly service and delicious food”.
During the summer holidays and half-terms, trade can increase by up to 50% while in the off-peak season it is kept busy by a loyal base of regular customers.
Remaining a walk-in only shop, the menu is wide-ranging with a choice of fish including cod, haddock, plaice, huss and skate. While senior citizens can enjoy a regular cod and small chips for just £8.50, there is also a range of vegan options including sausages, burgers and cauliflower bites. It’s a menu that keeps the four pan frying range busy, another reason why Oliver is happy to have a better hand on oil management.
“Keeping your oil in good condition is really important,” he says. “If it’s been in the pan too long and gets dirty, you notice it straight away, the taste is different, the colour is different. We never let it get to that point.”
