Top 10 in the country? You’d batter believe it!
MOBILE CHIPPY HONOURED IN THIS YEAR’S NATIONAL FRY AWARDS
A MOBILE chippy known throughout the county has been heralded as one of the best in the country.
The van, called the Mobile Chip Shop, was crowned one of the top ten chippies in the Fry Awards 2021.
It regularly stops at Leicestershire villages including Wymeswold, Willoughby and Woodhouse Eaves serving battered cod, red shrimp and freshly cooked chips.
The owner of the business was delighted to be placed at number nine in the country, especially after having to quickly adapt operations due to the pandemic.
Chip shops across the country were judged by a mystery diner on everything from the quality of the fish and chips, to customer service, social media presence and Covidsafe practices.
Matthew Geeson, who recently took over from founder Daniel Burgess, said: “It’s a nice gift to give us a push to keep going with what we do.
“I was gobsmacked when I found out. I would have done a cartwheel if I could. I’m really happy.”
The Fry Awards had a strict criteria when it came to judging but its main focus remained on the food.
Chippies were scrutinised on the crispness of their chips, the crunch of the batter and the flakiness of their fish as well as their value for money.
Matthew, 30, said: “There has been a lot of support from the villages and during the week it’s been really good but over the last year we haven’t had any weekend events or weddings.”
He has no idea who the mystery judge was or when they visited, even though he knows most of the customers who turn up every week.
“We have a pre-order system and give them a time-slot. We have a bit of banter,” he added.
“We have seen the awards for a couple of years and never entered but thought we would give it a go. It was a shock to hear we were in the top 10.”
The award logo will be added to the Mobile Chip Shop’s new menus, which will be launched shortly.
Competition organiser Reece Head said: “Without doubt, the last 12 months have been tough for fish and chip operators and many will not have dealt with this level of crisis management before. Allowed to operate during the pandemic, there was a lot they had to implement in a very short space of time to operate in a Covid safe manner.
“Many takeaways had to flip their businesses to click and collect and delivery, serve at the door, introduce card payments and work in much smaller teams. Likewise, mobile units introduced pre-orders and added new routes and additional vans to keep the nation fed.
“During a time of uncertainty, these operators have helped maintain a sense of normality.
“They’ve been at the heart of their communities, with a smile on their faces and hot food in their hands. And the fact that we’ve had our highest pass mark ever is testament to their hard work and dedication, and we would like to congratulate each and every one.”