Frankie’s has a fish & chip field day

BRITAIN’S northernmost chippy has sealed its place at the top of its trade by winning four out of 15 categories at the 25th annual National Fish & Chip Awards.

Frankie’s Fish & Chips, in Brae, walked away with prizes for its chips, staff training and a new recipe for roe, while young Carlyn Kearney was crowned young fish frier of the year at her third attempt.

The award ceremony organised by the fish industry trades body Seafish was held at the Lancaster London hotel in the UK capital on Thursday night.

Manager John Gold said the whole team at Frankie’s were “pleasantly surprised” and praised staff for working “incredibly hard” to win the staff training and development award.

They also took home the ‘From Field to Fryer” award for their knowledge of potatoes and their skill in turning them into chips.

Carlyn Kearney was over the moon to finally take home the young fish frier of the year trophy at her third attempt.

To win she had to beat stiff competition testing her knowledge of cooking quality fish and chips, health and safety and customer service, as well as enduring a tough telephone interview before taking part in a “fry off” at the National Federation of Fish Friers Training School in Leeds.

“I’m so happy to finally bag this award as I’ve entered for the last two years but third time’s definitely a charm,” she said.

“Every year I put a lot of effort into my role at Frankie’s and I love what I do – it feels great to be recognised as the best ‘Young Fish Frier of the Year’.

“Having met all those I was up against, it really was a tough competition so to be recognised is a huge personal achievement.”

To cap it all Frankie’s produced the best recipe using Amanda Seafoods fish roe products to win the Amanda Seafoods Challenge Award, and will now work with the company to develop and promote the new product they devised.

Seafish chief executive Paul Williams said their achievement was a real testament of what hard work and effort could do.

“They really have cemented their reputation as being a fish and chip shop to watch in the future.”