Wemyss Bay winner

Marco Leotta, owner of Macari’s, recently welcomed Frymax Ambassador and renowned fish frier Nigel Hodgson, owner of Hodgson’s Chippy, to his takeaway in Wemyss Bay, Inverclyde

The visit was a prize from Fry to the Max, a competition run by Frymax, offering winners the opportunity to receive one-on-one time with industry experts, gaining practical advice, tailored training and fresh ideas.

Marco took over Macari’s, a popular fish and chip shop located right across from the ferry terminal to the Isle of Bute, in 2023. It’s a fantastic location that enjoys a steady flow of both loyal locals and visiting tourists.

While Marco has only been running Macari’s for three years, he has worked in and partnered with chip shops since leaving school 14 years ago. Despite his experience, he was eager to hear Nigel’s ideas, with a clear goal of making Macari’s the very best it can be.

During the visit, Nigel delivered hands-on training covering everything from potato preparation, batter mixing and using a flow cup to oil management, the benefits of regular skimming with a quality skimmer, and improvements in packaging and branding.

Marco said: “It was a fantastic day. Nigel has a huge amount of knowledge and experience. He’s given me so many useful tools, from website and supplier recommendations to different product ideas. His knowledge is unparalleled. It made me think in a whole new way.”

One area Marco found especially valuable was oil management, adding: “I go through far too much oil, and Nigel gave me lots of advice and tools, like filter pads and cloths, to keep the oil cleaner and remove carbon from the pans. He also pointed me to a website where I can easily get hold of them.”

The pair also discussed the benefits of high efficiency frying equipment — not just in terms of saving energy and oil, but also improving raw material use, final product quality, and day-to-day operations.

“I’m working with two pans right now, so oil management is harder. It would be easier with a three or four pan range, which I’m hoping to get in the near future,” Marco added.

Enjoying the day equally as much as Marco, Nigel added: “Marco was eager to learn and genuinely interested in making improvements. It was a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding visit. I’m confident he’s on a great path, and I look forward to seeing how Macari’s continues to grow under his leadership.”

Frymax www.frymax.co.uk