A new six pan high efficiency Henry Nuttall frying range has helped Sea Queen Fisheries save money, extend the menu and improve quality
Antonio Tomasso has been working in the fish and chip industry since he was six years old when he would stand on top of plastic crates at his parent’s shop in Glasgow to help serve customers.
Celebrating his 50th birthday this year, he now runs Sea Queen Fisheries, a busy takeaway in Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire.
In November last year, he installed a new six pan high efficiency Henry Nuttall counter range to replace an outdated four pan range he inherited when he bought the takeaway in 2018. Antonio used the opportunity to add two gluten free pans as well as a griddle for homemade burgers, enabling it to extend the menu, improve the quality of the food and increase trade.
“As well as the two gluten free pans we went for separate filtration and a display rack because I wanted to do gluten free fish and chips properly rather than half-hearted,” says Antonio. “Also we can now offer gluten free any day of the week. I didn’t want to have to tell my customers they could only have gluten free fish and chips one day of the week, I wanted them to have fish and chips when they wanted it.”
Meanwhile, adding a griddle section has seen bought-in burgers replaced with fresh, homemade versions. “When we first opened, we cooked burgers in the pan. They were okay but I’ve always preferred homemade burgers. Now we make them ourselves and griddle them it means customers are getting a much nicer burger and we can charge a premium for them.”
Incorporating features such as high efficiency technology and built-in filtration has resulted in a number of cost savings to the business: filter pads, for example, are changed every one to two weeks instead of daily, while the shop’s monthly gas bill has dropped by 50%.
“My electricity bill is the strangest one though,” says Antonio. “That’s down by close to £600 a month. I didn’t realise I used much electricity to cook!”
With a host of other features making frying easier, for example, controls at eye level, faster filtration, and pans that maintain temperature better, the new range is having a huge impact on the food too. Antonio comments: “The food is cooking better and tasting better and the chips when they are in the hot box stay so much fresher. If I leave them for 20 minutes they are as if they have just come out of the pan.”
Making the bold claim that the range is the best he’s ever fried on, Antonio adds: “This range is made traditionally i.e. it incorporates new technology but with ease of repair in mind. If there is a problem with it, you can repair it and it’s cost effective.
“It’s a really well-built range, it’s got good output and it’s made for making me money. It’s honestly the best range I’ve ever used.”
Henry Nuttall 01909 560808 www.henrynuttall.co.uk
