23-year-old Taylor Webster started with Fish Kitchen 1854 in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, part-time five years ago, peeling potatoes. He has since progressed to full-time, and as assistant manager is now responsible for training newcomers and managing a team of 16
My job has changed drastically since I started as just “the chip guy,” and I think that’s because the owner, Lee, saw something in me. I was keen to learn and Lee was always kind and motivational. First I learnt from Lee’s father, Gary, how to cut fish by watching him every day, and then I jumped on the fryer and learnt how to fry. In 2023, I made it into the Top 10 Drywite Young Fish Friers, an incredible achievement and a true acknowledgement of how far I’ve come. It’s been an amazing journey, and I’m proud of the progress I’ve made.
Where things really changed for me was during Covid when I pushed the idea of click & collect and deliveries. It was always something I thought we should be doing but I didn’t feel I could voice that when I first started. When lockdown happened I thought I might as well try my luck, so I put it forward and Lee was receptive to the idea. We looked into all the options, got it up and running and it kept the business open. We’ve kept up with it ever since and I would say click & collect and deliveries are a major selling point for us now. It’s also massively improved how we work because it’s much easier for the team. The prep work we can do is unreal so we can get orders out within a couple of minutes of their collection time. For me personally, having the confidence to speak up about an idea I had helped Lee see my potential.
Another area where I’ve been able to make an impact is the menu. When I arrived, a few rugby-themed specials were running for the Six Nations, but they mainly focused on Wales. I suggested expanding the menu to include dishes inspired by the other five nations. For example, for France, we introduced a box featuring frog legs, Camembert, Brie, chips and a sauce. The response was incredible — we sold an unbelievable amount! The idea became so successful that we’ve done it every year since. We even had a customer travel from England after seeing it on Facebook!
It feels amazing where I’m at now. I practically run the takeaway when Lee isn’t around, and it’s a great feeling knowing he has that level of trust in me. I’m always eager to listen to my staff, too, taking their ideas into account to help everyone improve. My role has grown so much—I feel like a leader, in charge. The hours are long, but I work four long days and get an extra day off, which works well for me.
What I love most is knowing my ideas are heard and actioned. It feels great to have a voice and know I’m making a real contribution to the team and the business.
