Why eat fish on Good Friday?
It is a beloved tradition, and chef expects to serve for more than 500 happy diners
Chef Derek Hines is surrounded by calm. The calm before the storm.
In his black apron over his snowy-white chef uniform, he is lord of the kitchen at the Columbus Conference Centre on Dearborn Place in Waterloo.
In the freezer, there are hundreds of pieces of haddock, and thousands of french fries in large bags, waiting for him.
On Good Friday, the Christian tradition dictates, many of us eat fish and chips. Restaurants all over the world prepare it.
In this building, previously known as the Knights of Columbus hall, more than 500 meals will be served to whoever walks in, as long as there is room. Even the boardroom will be used as a dining area. Hines has to make it all happen. On Thursday, Hines will start thawing the fish, caught wild near Nova Scotia and sent frozen in boxes from a specialty
supplier in town.
He will dip the pieces in a batter made of flour, cornstarch and baking powder.
These will be pre-fried, just to “set” the batter and partially cook the fish.
Then on Friday, with an army of high school student volunteers to help him, Hines will bring the fish pieces out from the fridge and into the deep-fryer.
In “not even two minutes,” it will reach perfect, flaky tenderness surrounded by its crispy coating.
The bar will be open when guests arrive, but it won’t be a big day for alcohol sales.
“We’ll go through a lot of coffee, a lot of milk for the kids,” said Martin Hickey, Columbus facility manager.
There are eight seatings planned for Friday, from 1 to 8 p.m. plus takeout orders. Most of the seating is already sold out.
Eating fish on Good Friday was once mandated by the Catholic Church for its followers. It was considered necessary for Catholics to avoid meat at Lent, and especially on the most solemn day of the year, marking the crucifixion.
Even today, some devout Christians don’t eat anything on Good Friday, as a way of sharing some of Jesus’ suffering.
For many others, going without meat means eating fish instead.
This tradition has endured for centuries, although these days depleted fish stocks have turned the dish into something of a luxury.
Most fish is more expensive than certain cuts of meat, like pork shoulder and chicken thighs.
Yet there’s something powerful about that fish image, says Hines.
There’s the image of Jesus feeding a crowd of thousands with a few loaves and fishes.
The disciples were fishermen. And the “Jesus fish” is a universal symbol of Christianity.
“I don’t think the Bible treats beef the same way,” says Hines.
Families will go out on Good Friday for fish and chips because of “the nostalgia of going back to where your parents took you as a kid,” says Hines.
It’s like Christmas, which so many people continue to celebrate with feasting, visiting, lights, and gifts, long after they’ve stopped attending church regularly.
Organized religion and its rules are slipping away from us.
But we still hold tight to our traditions, because that’s where the love is woven in. Hines understands that.
“At its very heart, that’s what eating is all about,” said Hines, who also runs a catering company called Dinner by Derek. “It’s about communication.
“My favourite thing about food is, you’re not just feeding their stomachs,” he says.
“You’re also feeding their souls.”