Young fish friers net a ‘plaice’ on National Fish & Chip Awards’ Drywite award shortlist

They may be young but these 14 professional fish friers are impressing seasoned industry experts with wisdom and skills beyond their years, earning themselves a well-deserved listing in the Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year competition at the National Fish & Chip Awards 2026.

Golden. Crisp. Light. Flavourful. Melt in the mouth. This is fish cookery at its finest and the National Fish & Chip Awards is spotlighting the rising stars – who are aged 25 and under, with a minimum of six months’ unsupervised frying experience – mastering the skill and shaking things up in the sector.

The Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year accolade is a highly acclaimed title upcoming talent in the industry hope to be honoured with, and the 2026 edition has seen a 50% increase in applications. The process requires nerves of steel, as the selection committee puts competitors through a multi-stage performance review which includes a live, online cookery demonstration with on-the-spot questioning, interviews and in-person assessments.

With hundreds of millions of fish and chips portions cooked annually, the National Fish & Chip Awards presents who the UK’s best 14 fish friers for 2026 are:

• Abigail Barker – Millers Fish and Chips in Haxby, Yorkshire
• Kieran Bulpit – Donington Fish and Chips in Spalding, Lincolnshire
• Xenofon Christoforou – Pete’s Chippy in Bedworth, Warwickshire
• Amy Crombleholme – Hunters Fish & Chips in Louth, Lincolnshire
• James Ellams – Fish & Chips @ Weston Grove in Chester, Cheshire
• Matthew Faulkner – Cox’s at the Lighthouse in St Neots, Cambridgeshire
• Charlie James – Pier Point in Torquay, Devon
• Ben Langlands – Anstruther Fish Bar in Anstruther, Scotland
• Dylan MacDonald – Lows Traditional Fish & Chips in Aberdeen, Scotland
• Lewis Mathews – Sandy’s Fish and Chips in Folkestone, Kent
• Jack Spencer – Queens Drive Fish & Chips in Ossett, Yorkshire
• Gabi Tsantanis – Finney’s Fish and Chips Benllech in Anglesey, Wales
• Mikey Wallwork – Taylors in Stockport, Greater Manchester
• Megan White – Herts & Essex Foods – The Golden Fillet in Clacton, Essex

Kelvin Lee, managing director of Drywite Ltd, says the competition stands alone in its field for those in the early days of their fish frying years: “We are very pleased with the number and quality of entrants for the 2026 Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year award. I feel this proves that young people are really keen to demonstrate their skills and make fish frying their career and not just a job. The 14 candidates short-listed have already proved they have a special talent, and I wish them all the very best as the competition progresses.”

The National Fish & Chip Awards is proudly delivered by the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) and its President Andrew Crook, says participation in the award offers a nurturing environment for the new friers to push themselves further: “There’s so much pressure when standing at the frier to ensure each piece of fish is cooked to perfection every time and what we’re seeing from these talented professionals is remarkable.

“The awards are run by the industry for the industry to keep standards excellent as a minimum across the board. To successfully do this we need to motivate at every level, shaping careers and giving space for people to develop. The 14 friers are definitely on track to lead next-generation greatness.”

They are off to a ‘frying’ start and hot on the heels of 2025 winner Glen Morrison of Garioch Fish Bar in Inverurie, Scotland, who says: “Good luck to everyone who has entered this year! It’s a brilliant opportunity to showcase your passion, challenge yourself against the best, and connect with likeminded people in our industry. Win or lose, the experience will push you to grow and give you lessons that last a lifetime. Since winning Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year, life has been non-stop – our shop has never been busier, and the pride of serving the local community with that trophy beside me is second to none; memories that will live with me forever.”

What stands before the shortlist next is a live, online cookery demonstration and interview. The Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year winner will be named on 25 February when the National Fish & Chip Awards ceremony 2026 takes place at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London.

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