Twelve talented youngsters have made the shortlist for the 2025 Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year Award.
The line-up sees the return of three finalists from the 2024 competition: Kieran Bulpit, Linfords Traditional Fish and Chips; James Ellams, Fish and Chips @ Weston Grove; and Glen Marshall Morrison of Garioch Fish Bar.
All aged 25 or under with a minimum of six months’ frying experience, the young friers caught the attention of the judging panel for their sound understanding of how to cook fish and chips consistently well.
The full line-up includes:
- Abigail Barker – Millers Fish & Chips in Haxby (near York), Yorkshire
- Kieran Bulpit –Linfords Traditional Fish & Chips in Market Deeping, Lincolnshire
- Courtney Clifford – St Annes Fish Restaurant in St Annes-on-the-Sea, Lancashire
- James Ellams – Fish & Chips @ Weston Grove in Chester, Cheshire
- Sebastian Harding Crook – Squires in Braunton, Devon
- Charlie James – Pier Point Fish & Chips in Torquay, Devon
- Charlotte Jones – Finneys Amlwch in Anglesey, Wales
- Scott Kendrew –Millers Fish & Chips in Haxby (near York), Yorkshire
- Charlie Knox – The Carron in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
- Georgia Lye – Seafare Guilford in Surrey
- Sebastian Miller – Linfords Traditional Fish & Chips in Market Deeping, Lincolnshire
- Glen Morrison – Garioch Fish Bar in Inverurie, Scotland
The next stage of the competition will see the young fish friers put their skills in action during a live video call, where judges will grade them on criteria including their fish and batter preparation, oil temperature control and frying technique.
Those lucky enough to make it to the final round of judging will face an in-depth visit at their place of work, before the winner is announced at The National Fish & Chip Awards 2025 in London on Wednesday 26th February.
Kelvin Lee, managing director of award sponsor Drywite, says: We always find the calibre of young talent coming through the industry amazing and all twelve of those shortlisted this year have the potential to really drive their fish and chip careers forward in the future.
“Having started his working life as a potato boy in a fish and chip shop, my father Malcolm Lee remained very closely involved with fish and chips and always encouraged young people to make a career in the industry. So, in 1995, my late sister Briar Wilkinson and I established Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year in his memory. It will be a great thrill to present the Malcolm Lee Trophy to this year’s winner at the National Fish & Chip Awards in London and for Drywite to become part of their career story.”
Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) and awards organiser, comments: “The Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year is such an amazing category as we get to witness the candidates blossoming in confidence and coming into their own. They are the future of the industry and it’s our responsibility to provide opportunities for people to receive individual feedback and encouragement from those that know the business inside out. We’re excited to see how they put their knowledge into practice for the live frying task.”
