Magda has eyes on the fries

Magda Ganea from Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum has been named as one of the UK’s top 10 young fish friers as part of The 2018 National Fish and Chip Awards.

Shortlisted for the Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year Award – which is one of 14 categories in the awards widely recognised as the ‘Oscars’ of the fish and chip industry Magda will now batter it out against nine other contenders with hopes of being crowned the UK’s best young fish frier.

The Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year Award was developed to encourage the fish and chip industry’s younger generation (25 and under) to nurture and expand their skills to become expert friers and positive role models for the next generation. To get to this stage and secure a place in the coveted shortlist, Magda (above) has faced a rigorous judging process, undergoing exam questionnaires and in-depth telephone interviews conducted by senior industry experts.

Over the coming weeks, Magda and her nine fellow semi-finalists will be subjected to further appraisal as they receive a skills based assessment – which includes chipping potatoes, making batter, frying fish – and undergo a personal interview during a comprehensive judging day at the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) Training School in Leeds.

This stage of judging will whittle down the shortlist to five finalists.

Drywite managing director Kelvin Lee said: “The award has attracted an exceptionally high standard of entries again this year, making the judges’ job of whittling it down to 10 semi-finalists very difficult.

“It’s great to see so many young friers with a real passion for the industry and I am confident that the future of fish and chips is safe in their hands.”

The winner will be announced at The National Fish and Chip Awards’ 30th anniversary ceremony in London in January.