Fish and Chips is Making a Huge Trendy Comeback

Several gastro pubs and celebrity chefs all over the UK are making an effort to revitalize fish and chips
and make it the latest thing once again.

Thanks to the support and full backing of these celebrity chefs, the hot English dish has undergone a
reinvention by focusing more on using natural and simple ingredients. Before its reemergence, it had
suffered a decline during the beginning of the century and several fish and chips retailers closed because
of health concerns and the inclination of Brits towards low-fat diets.

The National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) recently reported that more than 2,000 new chippies have
launched for the past ten years. By 2013, the number of chippies that have launched went up to 10,500,
surpassing McDonald’s, who have 1,200, and KFC, with only 840.

Back in the day, fish and chips establishments were mostly in slimy corner-shops in the markets. In
today’s times, however, these establishments have evolved into more efficient, sanitary and more
proficient establishments.

The recent success of the fish and chips restaurants and shops can be attributed to the much more stylish
and slickest form and the penchant for more natural and simple foods.

Leading the way for the fish and chips’ revival was celebrity chef Rick Stein, who first launched a fish
and chips bar in Padstow, Cornwall, as well as several fish-related restaurants and shops in town.

Notorious Masterchief judge Gordon Ramsay is even intending on opening his own fish and chips
restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada called ‘Gordon Ramsay’s Fish & Chips’ sometime in spring of 2015.

Renowned English chef Tom Kerridge, who manages the two Michelin starred Hand and Flowers in
Marlow, Bucks., has even famously said that his “last meal on earth” would be cod and chips brought in a
takeaway in his district in Linden, Gloucestershire called Danny Dykes.

“It’s great to see such high profile people talking about fish and chips and it demonstrates how far the
industry has come” said Andrew Cook, the treasurer of the NFFF. He adds: “We are seeing a change in
the demographic of fish and chip shop owners, [more] younger people are coming into the trade, all
bringing new ideas.”

Back in the 1920s, the fish and chips’ fame had hit its pinnacle with over 30,000 fish and chip shops were
operating all around the UK. However, the number of shops had descended to 8,600 by 2003 because of
fears of the high level of fat content found in these dishes as well as the rise of other fast food chains.

As of this year, UK splurges on #1.2bn on fish and chips, which is equal to 382 million pieces or six
annual servings for a man, a woman and a child.

“Fish and chips are so engrained in the hearts of the British public” said Mr Crook of the NFFF. “And
with so many celebrity chefs keen to serve our iconic dish, fish and chips are here to stay” he concluded.