25-year-old Ben Langlands has spent three years at Anstruther Fish Bar in Fife, honing his frying skills, taking on allergen management and, more recently, preparing for the Drywite Young Fish Frier competition
I’ve been working at Anstruther Fish Bar for just under three years. I first joined after doing some summer work here. I was asked to come back, and I decided to stay. It’s a local business with a great reputation, and I liked the practical side of the job. I’ve always worked in kitchens, so it felt like a good fit.
When I started at Anstruther, I came in as a frier. I’d already been frying for about six years in other kitchens, so I had a fair bit of experience. Every place does things differently, but here it just makes sense. The way the team works together and how the shop runs, it’s all very organised, and everyone knows what they’re doing.
Since joining, I’ve taken on more responsibility and done several courses, including first aid, fire warden and food hygiene up to a high level. Those have helped me understand more about how to run the shop properly. I like having structure, knowing that everything has its place and that there’s a routine to follow.
One of my main jobs now is managing allergens. I check and update all the allergen information for every product that comes into the kitchen a few times a year. If suppliers change ingredients or we get new products, I make sure everything is up to date. It’s an important part of the job – you can’t get it wrong. We try to keep our food as allergen free as possible, and if there’s a way to swap something for a safer option, we do that. There are definitely more people with allergies now than there used to be, so it’s something we take seriously.
This year, I entered the Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year competition for the first time. I’d known about it for years but never felt confident enough to do it before. Being named a Top 10 finalist has been my proudest moment so far. It has given me confidence and opened a door to see what is possible in this industry. Throughout the years I have met some incredible people who have spent a majority of their lives mastering the craft. It’s made me realise that I don’t just want to be good, I want to be up there with them. The next stage of the competition is a visit from the judges where they’ll come to the shop and watch me for a few hours. I’m just planning to treat it like a normal day and do what I usually do.
I definitely see this as my career now. I enjoy what I do, and I want to keep learning. Whether that means working alongside experienced friers, taking on more responsibility, or finding new ways to innovate while keeping our traditions strong, I’m ready for it.
