Ainsley Harriott joins the hunt for Britain’s best chippie – Fishupdate.com

TV chef Ainsley Harriott is supporting the national Fish & Chip Shop of the Year competition for the second year running.

With his larger than life personality, Ainsley will compère the final ceremony on Wednesday January 23, 2008 at the Royal Garden Hotel in London’s Kensington.

He commented: “Fish and chips still tops the poll as Britain’s favourite takeaway. I think the reason it has remained so popular is that everyone has happy memories of eating fish and chips. It’s fantastic value for money and is one of the healthiest takeaways on the high street.

The national Fish & Chip Shop of the Year competition is a fabulous way of celebrating this iconic British food and recognising the industry’s great characters and unsung heroes.”

Fish and chips is still the UK’s number one take-away, with over 260 million meals eaten every year and nearly 11,000 chippies satisfying the nation’s hunger for this ever popular dish.

The competition, run by industry body Seafish, is now in its 20th year. Product quality, food hygiene, customer service and innovation all are part of the strict judging criteria.

This year, entrants will also be judged on their commitment to ensuring a healthy and viable future for the industry, with their sourcing and sustainability practices scrutinised by the judges.

Previous winners of the competition have enjoyed widespread celebrity status, with fish and chip fans flocking from far and wide to sample their wares, increasing sales by up to 60 per cent.

The competition is sponsored for the second year by Heinz SqueezMe! and receives continued support from The Frozen at Sea Fillets Association and Seafood Scotland.

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