National Fish & Chip Awards’ Field to Frier finalists emerge

Three chippies are topping the National Fish & Chip Awards’ charts as the UK’s most well-oiled businesses when it comes to serving perfect portions of chips, edging them closer to Field to Frier award victory.

The category is a celebration of fish and chip professionals and their expert insights into serving crisp, fluffy and flavourful chips that enhance the meal, as well as being a standalone treat. The annual awards are free to enter and provide participants with feedback on where they are shining, as well as areas for refinement so that best practice is maintained throughout the industry at the highest levels.

A team of specialists created a tough, multi-stage review of all aspects of the entrants’ businesses, looking particularly closely at their potato expertise and the intricacies of seasonality, selection processes, storage, preparation, frying techniques and serving sizes.

Bursting ahead in the competition and earning a well-deserved spot in the Field to Frier 2026 final are:

Lincolnshire

Linfords Traditional Fish and Chips, Market Deeping

Scotland

Aberdeenshire

Garioch Fish Bar, Inverurie

Ayrshire

The Fish Works, Largs

Andrew Crook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF), which proudly organises the event, commends the frontrunners: “Field to Frier is one of the most difficult award categories to enter as the knowledge required from hopefuls to successfully separate themselves from the pack is niche and advanced. Our final three have been phenomenal at every turn of this year’s edition, showing profound understanding and dedication to their craft which is inspiring to see. The judges have a very difficult task ahead in picking one winner!”

Isle of Ely Produce is a UK-leading supplier of potatoes, with a 40-year history in delivering millions of bags to the fish and chip industry. It is co-sponsoring Field to Frier with Babylon potato producer Agrico UK, which has been successfully trialling the variety in fish and chip shops for the last few years.

Speaking about the finalists is Oliver Boutwood, director at Isle of Ely Produce, who says: “Here at Isle of Ely Produce we are looking out for the chippy that has demonstrated throughout this competition their love for potato varieties, how they make their choices and how they prepare them for their customers. Chips are served with over 90% of meals ordered, and these three have shown us how important they are to their business.”

Alex Moore, MD of Agrico UK, applauds the achievements of the hopefuls: “These three shops have come top of the pile for their knowledge of chipping potatoes. As the developer of Babylon, a relatively new variety to the chipping trade, it is good to see them making the right choices for chip variety, storage and preparation. Good luck to them all in the final.”

The three chippies will be kept on their toes for the final mystery shop challenge where their respective food will be tasted and the overall experience graded. The Field to Frier title will be passed onto the new champion from 2025 winner Redcloak Fish Bar in Stonehaven, Scotland, at the awards ceremony on 25 February at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London.

Don’t miss out on the fish and chip industry’s biggest event, reserve your seats by visiting https://thefishandchipawards.com/event-tickets/.

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