ABERDEENSHIRE BUSINESS IS THE CHIP LEADER AT THE NATIONAL FISH & CHIP AWARDS

Aberdeenshire business is the chip leader at the National Fish & Chip Awards. This year’s National Fish & Chip Awards ceremony, hosted by television presenter Matt Baker, saw Redcloak Fish Bar in Stonehaven named as the nation’s best for chips, with the business scooping the sought-after Field to Frier title.

This highly desired recognition for Redcloak Fish Bar comes after months of assessments and interviews for the finalists, which also included Taylors in Stockport, Greater Manchester and Newington Fish Bar in Ramsgate, Kent. All three showed that they excel in potato variety knowledge, sourcing the best quality ingredients and preparing them with exceptional skill to ensure chippy meal perfection for every customer.

However, Redcloak Fish Bar became this year’s Field to Frier recipient for shining brightest in the key criteria of potato selection which is essential for a sublime chip. Its careful process of choosing quality potatoes, combined with innovative frying methods, and delicate balance of heat and timing, was standout for the panel of judges.

Speaking about earning the top honour is the owner Jamie Russo, who says:

“We are incredibly honoured to win the Field to Frier award this year. We are extremely passionate about sourcing great quality potatoes to make our chips, and we are glad that the judges acknowledged that.

“We are grateful to have a fantastic potato merchant, Jon at WM Fraser who always ensures we have the best quality potatoes so a huge thanks has to go to him and the team! It is a massive testament to the hard work from all the team and the support from our fantastic customers, without which we couldn’t do what we do!”

Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF), which is the organiser of the awards, explains the significance of the category. “Field to Frier is one of the most difficult to enter as the level of inspection at every juncture from the experts is unlike anything the challengers will have experienced before.

“The questioning around potato selection and prep alone is very intense and then comes further scrutiny of oil usage, frying techniques and sustainable practices, to name a few of the additional assessments. Redcloak Fish Bar has impressed to no end and has set the gold standard for chip cookery in the industry. This is a wonderful moment for Jamie and the team and we’re sure customers old and new will be flocking through the doors to enjoy the tastiest chips in the UK.”

Field to Frier is sponsored by Isle of Ely Produce, which supplies more than two million bags of potatoes into the fish and chip industry annually. Its co-sponsor Agrico is the producer of the Babylon potato variety that has been trialled in UK fish and chip shops with much success in recent years.

Oliver Boutwood, director of Isle of Ely Produce, congratulates the new champion:

“This is our eleventh year in supporting the National Fish & Chip Awards. It is great to see in that time the growth of our ‘Field to Frier’ platform. We have had over 1,000 chip shop owners visit our farm, plus we have brought the chip shop owners closer to the farmers for them to both understand exactly what it takes to make a great chip. Well done to our 2025 winner Redcloak Fish Bar.”

Sales Manager Alex Moore at Agrico says of 2025’s category victor:

“It is fantastic to announce Redcloak Fish Bar as the winner of the Field to Frier award. We congratulate Jamie and the team for their work promoting best use of how to store prep and fry potatoes and look forward to working together in the year ahead with our chipping variety Babylon.”

For over a decade, the Norwegian seafood industry has proudly supported the fish and chip industry through the National Fish & Chip Awards. This year, Seafood from Norway will again welcome award winners to an exclusive study trip to Norway for an immersive three-day experience, highlighted by a day program aboard Langøy, one of Norway’s advanced frozen-at-sea vessels. This trip underscores the shared commitment to sustainability and excellence between Norway’s fishing industry and the UK’s fish and chip community.

For more information and bits on the National Fish & Chip Awards, please visit: www.thefishandchipawards.com.