The winners of the annual Choice Chip Awards were revealed this weekend, with the fries-winning performance coming from Friday Bridge Fish Bar in bagging the title of ‘Best Chippy Chips’ in the whole of Cambridgeshire.
Run by the Potato Council every year in recognition of Chip Week which starts today (Monday), the Choice Chip Awards champion the tastiest servings of chips across Great Britain. This year a record number of 68,000 chip-loving Brits voted for their favourite chip shop out of 900 entrants across ten regions in Great Britain.
Loyal customers, regulars and fans of Friday Bridge Fish Bar voted in their masses, battering stiff competition from some of Cambridgeshire’s top chippies to ensure their perfectly cooked portions were bagged first ‘plaice’.
Kate Cox at Potato Council, said: “Here in Great Britain we are undoubtedly a nation of chip lovers and Chip Week is a fantastic celebration of our great British food tradition. Us Brits feel strongly about supporting our local chippy, so it’s no surprise so many people took the time to vote for their favourite in the Choice Chip Awards this year.
“This has been a great start to Chip Week 2015, and the chip-themed festivities will continue taking place in shops, pubs, restaurants and retail outlets across England, Scotland and Wales. This year we’re asking the Great British public to support their local chippy by celebrating Chip Week with a portion of chips (or two) from their favourite chip shop.”
For more information regarding Chip Week, as well as chip recipes, chip facts and figures, visit www.chips.lovepotatoes.co.uk
Chip Week facts (February 16 to 22)
Almost 700,000 tonnes of potatoes are made into fresh chips in Great Britain every year – that’s 333 times heavier than the London Eye[i]
Around 15,000 hectares of potatoes are grown each year in Great Britain to be used for fresh chips - the same space as 10,500 football pitches[ii]
Over 328 million portions of fish and chip meals are sold in the UK each year[iii]
In one year, we eat nearly three billion meals containing chips, with dinnertime being the most popular time to eat them (79%) and tea time the second favourite (11%).
The average spend in a fish and chip shop is £3.21 – less than half the average price us Brits splash out on a takeaway curry. Chinese food is around 46% more expensive than a meal from the chippy, while a pizza is 47% more expensive.
Michelin-starred chef Simon Haigh created the world’s most expensive fish and chips in February 2014 costing £304 per portion. The costly fish and chips dish includes ingredients such as Dover Sole, black truffle and champagne batter.
Using the right spuds for chips can make all the difference - to ensure your chips are lovely and fluffy try King Edward or Maris Piper potatoes.
There are over 27 million visits to fish and chip shops every month.
The largest serving of chips weighed 448 kg (987 lb 10 oz) and was made by Adventure Island (UK), in Southend on Sea, Essex, on June 29 2011.
Celebrity chip fans include Lady Gaga, Victoria Beckham, Rihanna, Kate Moss, David Walliams and Michelle Obama.
The survey also shows that where we live affects our chip choices, with people in the south preferring salt and vinegar on their portion while the Scottish are more likely than people in any other region to choose a portion of curly fries. People in the Midlands have a fondness for curry sauce and cheese with their portion; the Welsh are more likely than other regions to eat their chips straight from the oven; and a quarter of Londoners favour the French fry.
Fish and chips was the only take-away food not to be rationed during the Second World War. Frederick Lord Woolton, Minister of Food at the time, even allowed mobile frying vans to carry fish and chips to evacuees around the country.
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