0:00:02 > 0:00:05In the UK, we spend over £1.2 billion a week on food.
0:00:05 > 0:00:09About £51 per household.
0:00:09 > 0:00:11A bog-standard pint of milk now - 50 pence.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14I can remember when milk was about ten pence a pint.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Faced with more choice than ever, how do you know
0:00:17 > 0:00:19when you're getting value for money?
0:00:19 > 0:00:21You've got granary. You've got wholemeal. You've got seeded.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25There's even bread that tells you it's toastable. What bread isn't toastable?!
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Gregg Wallace and greengrocer, Chris Bavin,
0:00:27 > 0:00:29are out to find answers.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31How much are carrots normally?
0:00:31 > 0:00:3290p a kilo.
0:00:32 > 0:00:33£3 a kilo.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35To buy 'em chopped up.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38When is it worth splashing the cash?
0:00:38 > 0:00:40And when should you save your pennies?
0:00:40 > 0:00:44Two large cod and chips, please. Lovely, look at that!
0:00:44 > 0:00:46The boys are going to try and find out by creating two very
0:00:46 > 0:00:50different plates of the classic British dish, fish and chips.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52This is the way to catch a cod.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Got to do this for 4½ hours. Fantastic.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Along the way, they'll examine a whole range of everyday products.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03- You are the first person who's picked the fresh out. - Maybe I'm a broccoli genius.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Gregg's hunting for high-end ingredients...
0:01:06 > 0:01:07It's about 30p a chip.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09..And Chris, the low-cost alternative...
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Ten million of these a day, they make.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14..before the Great British public decide...
0:01:14 > 0:01:17- Which fish comes out on top? - You like the purple ones?
0:01:17 > 0:01:21..whether you should save or spend when it comes to fish and chips
0:01:21 > 0:01:24Those people of Hastings with a discerning palate
0:01:24 > 0:01:26will tell the difference...I hope!
0:01:32 > 0:01:36Gregg Wallace started out as a greengrocer in the 1980s
0:01:36 > 0:01:39and adores working with fine food.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Lovely little leaves.
0:01:42 > 0:01:47But he knows top ingredients don't come cheap.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50I've been supplying to the best restaurants
0:01:50 > 0:01:54and eating in those restaurants for over 20 years.
0:01:54 > 0:01:55I know what quality tastes like.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57I know how much it costs.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Hello, mate.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02Greengrocer Chris Bavin has been voted the UK's top
0:02:02 > 0:02:07independent retailer two years in a row and knows how to spot a bargain.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11It's not about how much food costs but value for money.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15I'm here to prove you can get a good, healthy, tasty meal for less.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Chris is a fine young man, a greengrocer like me,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21but I'll introduce him to the finer things in life!
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Now, now, Gregg.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26On average, we spend over an hour a week in Britain's supermarkets -
0:02:26 > 0:02:32that's over 215,280 minutes of your life
0:02:32 > 0:02:34you'll never get back!
0:02:34 > 0:02:36And the boys are beginning their research
0:02:36 > 0:02:39into cheap versus expensive fish and chips
0:02:39 > 0:02:42with their very own version of Supermarket Sweep.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Gregg, be a love and shove us the...
0:02:44 > 0:02:47- The cheap one?- Value, value.- Saucy!
0:02:47 > 0:02:49They're both looking
0:02:49 > 0:02:52at typical ingredients for fish and chips to feed a family of four.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Quite a selection here.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Chris is hunting for a low-cost basket.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59We've got cod in batter,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01breaded. Fillets, that's me.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03£4.49 for four.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06And Gregg's after high-end ingredients.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09I'm after the finest cod you've got.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13It's line-caught. Day boats. Best piece of fish you can get.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Do you consider fresh to be better than frozen?
0:03:15 > 0:03:17A lot more flavoursome. That over a frozen fish,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20- there's no comparison.- I'm sold.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Straight-cut oven chips.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25£1.29.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26Perfect.
0:03:26 > 0:03:27I want a starchy potato.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30Cyprus - perfect.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Something special to fry my chips - duck fat.
0:03:33 > 0:03:34Vinegar. Trusted brand.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36Twice the price, as per usual.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38You look like a man who likes a bargain.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40We ain't all millionaires, Gregg.
0:03:40 > 0:03:41Time to check out.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45Gregg's basket of the finest ingredients -
0:03:45 > 0:03:48including fresh cod, fresh potatoes
0:03:48 > 0:03:53and even a spot of duck fat would set you back £14.82.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Chris's economy basket,
0:03:55 > 0:04:00including frozen cod and frozen chips, would cost just £8.04.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Let's compare these bills here.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Mine's nearly £15.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06I'm a smidgeon over eight quid.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08You're not far away from double. Everything on there
0:04:08 > 0:04:11is more expensive by a considerable amount.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13It's my fish.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15My fish is nearly double the cost of your fish.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18This is exactly the same bag of shopping.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20You've given nearly double...
0:04:20 > 0:04:22We haven't got exactly the same and that's the point.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25If we had exactly the same, we'd have the same bills.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28No-one ever said quality was cheap.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30You're not telling me that by the time you cook this,
0:04:30 > 0:04:34slather it in vinegar and red sauce, it's going to taste any different?
0:04:34 > 0:04:36I honestly do not believe
0:04:36 > 0:04:39you can get the same plate of food with your ingredients. No way.
0:04:39 > 0:04:45Well, there's only one way to find out. It's time to separate the boys.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48They'll each source the kind of ingredients they believe will
0:04:48 > 0:04:52win over the British public in the final fish-and-chip taste test.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55Will Gregg's premium produce live up to its price tag?
0:04:55 > 0:04:59Or can Chris' cheaper alternative punch above its weight?
0:04:59 > 0:05:02First task - find the right fish.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04Chris is kicking off his search for great value produce
0:05:04 > 0:05:08in the Norwegian fjords.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11We left UK ten hours ago and here we are in Norway
0:05:11 > 0:05:14and we haven't even got on a boat yet.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17He's off to work on a factory ship that catches
0:05:17 > 0:05:20and then freezes vast numbers of cod at sea.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Rather you than me, Chris.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25We've got to the boat that will take us fishing for cod.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28That looks more like the ferry I took to France when I was a kid.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Gregg's journey is a little less international.
0:05:33 > 0:05:39He's hunting down expensive fish, in the British port of Brixham.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42I'm in Devon. I'm going out with the fishermen. This is why I'm up at a ridiculous hour.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47It's four o'clock and I'm going to see what goes into line-catching fresh fish.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50This is small-scale artisan.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53You never know what you'll get with fishing. It's like hunting.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56This is why fresh fish can be expensive.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Why are we up so early?
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Because of the amount of days we lose for weather,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04and the cost of fuel nowadays,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06we have to maximise our days
0:06:06 > 0:06:09so we generally start fishing at first light
0:06:09 > 0:06:11and fish through till dark.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14The Full Monty can struggle to cover her costs.
0:06:14 > 0:06:19Even on a good day she might only bring home 150 fish.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22It seems you have to catch a lot of fish to make your living.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25What are the costs?
0:06:25 > 0:06:26A typical day for us
0:06:26 > 0:06:29is somewhere in the region of 450 and 600lbs a day.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32You have to catch that amount of fish
0:06:32 > 0:06:35before we start earning a penny.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40How much cod could this vessel catch?
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Per day, we would catch
0:06:42 > 0:06:46approximately 50 tonnes of H&G cod.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Where does the majority of that fish go?
0:06:48 > 0:06:50Most of it, from the long liners,
0:06:50 > 0:06:54goes to the UK market for fish and chips.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Every year, we Brits eat
0:06:56 > 0:07:00300 million portions of fish and chips - greedy bunch -
0:07:00 > 0:07:02and most of that's made from cod.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Fresh British cod can't meet our demand,
0:07:05 > 0:07:09so we import industrial-caught fish from sustainable sources
0:07:09 > 0:07:11abroad to fill the gap.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15- This part of the process is baiting the hooks.- Yes.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19So everything is caught on a hook, nothing is caught with a net?
0:07:19 > 0:07:23No, everything is on the hook. The fish choose to bite the hook.
0:07:23 > 0:07:29- OK, or not.- Or not.- So now we're firing out the hooks.- 50,000 hooks.
0:07:29 > 0:07:3150,000 hooks out there.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35Every hook must be individually baited with small herrings.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39- Could take a while.- You can see now he's ready with the anchor.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45And now the process starts. It doesn't stop.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Mass-caught cod can help keep your average high-street
0:07:48 > 0:07:50fish and chips affordable.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Line-catching, as opposed to trawling with nets,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56is a more selective method of fishing, meaning, in theory,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59only certain species of fish are caught
0:07:59 > 0:08:02and other delicate fish stocks are preserved.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04So this is the very first part of the process.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07How long will we stay here for, to do this?
0:08:07 > 0:08:09It's 45,000, 50,000 hooks,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13we will use about 4½ hours.
0:08:13 > 0:08:17So 4½ hours, we do this? Yes? Nonstop?
0:08:17 > 0:08:23No breaks. I've got to do this for 4½ hours? Fantastic. OK.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26It's starting to get a bit choppy around here, I think.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Filthy, dirty, stinking of fish, exhausted.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35I bet wherever Gregg is, he's not doing this.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Oh, it's as if you're telepathic, Chris(!)
0:08:39 > 0:08:42I can see them coming.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46Look at that. That's a beautiful thing.
0:08:48 > 0:08:50Whoa, that is a beauty.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54- That's fabulous.- That's not bad, is it?
0:08:54 > 0:08:58So what do you think of your fish compared to the Norwegian?
0:08:58 > 0:09:00Erm, it's OK.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05But it's not fresh and from on your doorstep, is it?
0:09:05 > 0:09:07You can't beat fresh.
0:09:07 > 0:09:11It's caught by hand, straight on the boat, it's gutted, it's washed
0:09:11 > 0:09:14and packed in ice and landed that night.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17You can't get any fresher than that.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21Now, the pressure's on. Can Gregg land himself a big one?
0:09:21 > 0:09:24If I don't get a cod, I'm going to be a laughing stock, aren't I?
0:09:27 > 0:09:32Whoa, look here, Chris, this is the way to catch cod.
0:09:32 > 0:09:33Well done, Gregg.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Whoa, look at him.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Fish like this are normally served up to some lucky diner
0:09:43 > 0:09:45within 48 hours of being caught.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51Back in Norway, after several hours' fishing,
0:09:51 > 0:09:53it's time to haul in the line.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55You can see there is a fish on the first hook.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59- The fish are starting to come out now. One after the other.- Yep.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04There's another one. That's a perfect size.
0:10:05 > 0:10:09Look, now we're going to get the fish. Look at the size of the fish.
0:10:09 > 0:10:10Very nice.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15In one trip, this vessel can hook up to 160,000 fish.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18She can be at sea for five weeks at a time
0:10:18 > 0:10:24so it's vital the catch is frozen at minus 20 degrees within a few hours.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26So now you're going to fillet this cod for us?
0:10:26 > 0:10:28- That's beautiful and white inside, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31This is literally what is going to be frozen
0:10:31 > 0:10:35and then be served up in chip shops all over the UK within a week or so?
0:10:37 > 0:10:40So here we are, after 14 hours at sea,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42we've got beautiful, fresh cod.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45This was swimming in the ocean only three hours ago.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49You can't tell me that anyone is eating any fresher than this cod.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53So it's definitely fresh when it gets frozen!
0:10:55 > 0:10:57These guys can be out here for 40 days and 40 nights.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Next time you're in fish-and-chip shop on a Friday night,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03have a little thought for these guys. They work incredibly hard.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Back in the UK, and after a long day at sea,
0:11:09 > 0:11:13Gregg too is heading back to port with his whopper.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Beautiful fish.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19I know that's how you earn a living, but I've had a great day.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22- Glad to meet you, mate. - See you again, hopefully.- Take care.
0:11:22 > 0:11:23That was great.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27So in one fishing trip, they've achieved very different results.
0:11:28 > 0:11:33Chris and his Norwegian chums reeled in 5,700 fish
0:11:33 > 0:11:37and Gregg helped hand-catch 100 fish.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41With the big public fish-and-chip taste test just days away,
0:11:41 > 0:11:42both boys are off the mark.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45Gregg's found the kind of fish he wants to serve,
0:11:45 > 0:11:48British, fresh and rod-and-line caught.
0:11:48 > 0:11:53And Chris has found a lower cost, quick-frozen-at-sea alternative,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56although I'm not sure he'd do it again.
0:11:59 > 0:12:00Whilst Gregg and Chris are focusing
0:12:00 > 0:12:03on their upcoming fish-and-chip final taste-off,
0:12:03 > 0:12:05we've drafted in some helpers to see
0:12:05 > 0:12:07whether you should spend or save
0:12:07 > 0:12:10when it comes to another cod classic.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Fish fingers are a big favourite
0:12:12 > 0:12:15because it comes with fish fingers, chips, beans. Yeah, great.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19Easy for us, easy to cook, easy to serve. Kids love them.
0:12:19 > 0:12:24In Britain, we eat over one million fish fingers a day,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27so we've put three brands to the test.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30And who better to judge them than 15 hungry kids
0:12:30 > 0:12:33from Handsworth Primary School in East London.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37If they don't like it, they're very quick to tell me, don't worry!
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Tough crowd.
0:12:39 > 0:12:46The fish fingers on test today have between 60 and 64% fish content,
0:12:46 > 0:12:49but they do vary massively in cost.
0:12:49 > 0:12:55On the yellow table, ASDA's fish fingers. 47p per 100 grams -
0:12:55 > 0:12:58the cheapest in this blind taste test.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02On the green table, Sainsbury's, the second cheapest at 64p.
0:13:02 > 0:13:09On the red table, Marks & Spencer's Chunky, the dearest at 73p.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12And that's where our experts are starting.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19The fish tasted a bit slimy.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Three letters - OMG!
0:13:21 > 0:13:23THEY GIGGLE
0:13:23 > 0:13:27A portion of breadcrumbed fish fingers contains half
0:13:27 > 0:13:30the fat of a battered fish portion.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Just as well, the rate this lot are going through them.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Next up, ASDA, the cheapest option.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38It was really, really squishy.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42The inside of it, it tasted a bit like paper.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44The outside was...
0:13:45 > 0:13:47..quite crumbly as well.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49I don't like it. I love it!
0:13:49 > 0:13:52Finally, Sainsbury's.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54# We are young
0:13:54 > 0:13:56# We run green
0:13:56 > 0:13:59# Keep our teeth nice and clean... #
0:13:59 > 0:14:01This one was the best one.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03I really liked this one.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06It was very chewy on the inside.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09It was more attractive than the others
0:14:09 > 0:14:13because it was chewier and I like the crispy bits.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18Eating over, it's voting time for these budding food connoisseurs.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22Put the cost by the one you want, but only do one.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24# Whatever you do... #
0:14:24 > 0:14:26One vote equals one point.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29- The red fish fingers got... - Three points.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- The yellow fish fingers got... - Three points.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34And the green fish fingers got...
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Nine points, which makes green the winner!
0:14:37 > 0:14:39THEY CHEER
0:14:40 > 0:14:41# All right! #
0:14:41 > 0:14:45So it's the mid-priced fish finger from Sainsbury's that leads the way
0:14:45 > 0:14:47in this blind taste test,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50with Marks & Spencer's and ASDA joint second.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52Good news for Chris and his value hunt.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55And good news for your pocket.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57It might not be totally scientific,
0:14:57 > 0:14:59but Handsworth Primary have spoken.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03OK, that's enough about fish for now.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05We've plenty more to tickle your taste buds!
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Can we borrow you for a moment to do a quick taste test?
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Can you, the Great British public,
0:15:10 > 0:15:15taste the difference between economy and the higher-priced alternatives?
0:15:15 > 0:15:19Time to put another family favourite to the test - sausage rolls.
0:15:19 > 0:15:20Over to you, Chris.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24Excuse me, could I borrow one of you for ten seconds?
0:15:24 > 0:15:29On test are Morrisons' Savers sausage rolls at 23p for 100 grams,
0:15:29 > 0:15:34and Morrisons' Standard, at nearly twice the price.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38Both packs have a meat content of below 30%.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40Right, young lady, if you could taste these two sausage rolls
0:15:40 > 0:15:42- and tell me which one you prefer, please?- OK.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45If you could taste them both and let me know which one you prefer?
0:15:45 > 0:15:46Same time, or one after another?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49One after the other. Unless your palate is good at deciphering taste.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51You can chuck them both in if you want.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54- I'm vegetarian.- Oh, yeah? Clearly not for you then.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58I think with one of them, you might be all right, to be honest.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00The economy snacks are on the white napkin
0:16:00 > 0:16:02and the more expensive version on red.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05- Probably that one. - You prefer that one?- Spicier.
0:16:05 > 0:16:06- That one.- You prefer that one?
0:16:06 > 0:16:09- This one.- You prefer that one? - Hits the tongue straightaway.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13- I like that one better.- So you've chosen the cheaper option, which is,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16you might be surprised to know, nearly half the price of the premium.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18- You've chosen the more expensive.- Mm.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20It's just under twice the price of that one.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Would that change your decision?
0:16:22 > 0:16:25- I'd definitely go for that one. - If it's cheaper...?- The cheaper one.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27That's actually the cheaper option,
0:16:27 > 0:16:30and it's just under half the price of the more expensive one.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34If that's half the price, I'd definitely go for that one rather than that one,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38- because I could put my own herbs on that if I wanted to, couldn't I? - There you go, bit of sauce!
0:16:38 > 0:16:39Ooh, sneaky!
0:16:39 > 0:16:42That taste test result, that was fantastic.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44The majority of people favouring the cheaper product.
0:16:44 > 0:16:45That just goes to show,
0:16:45 > 0:16:48it isn't always about the most expensive product being superior.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52So, maybe, the cheaper option will do well in your
0:16:52 > 0:16:54fish-and-chip fight then, Chris?
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Back on the road, Gregg's hit a fish market, where the
0:16:58 > 0:17:02whopper he reeled in yesterday is about to be auctioned.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04Ten? 20? 20?
0:17:04 > 0:17:08I followed my cod down to market to see how much money I'd get for it.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11This, compared to the frozen, what do you honestly think?
0:17:11 > 0:17:13This is second to none.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15This is the best. The best in the world.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18I wouldn't put a frozen bit of fish on my plate.
0:17:18 > 0:17:19But then, I don't have to.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22A little bit of boat-to-throat cod? Pick what you like.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25We can do a bit of trade on that. It has good weight as well. 5.10?
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Is that 5.10? 5.20, Harry?
0:17:27 > 0:17:28Five pound.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30I might be a dim greengrocer,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32but I've got absolutely no idea what's going on.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35They're just shouting out numbers and putting coloured stickers down.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37But I have found my cod.
0:17:37 > 0:17:4062 to buy Bowditch, at 60? 60, 70?
0:17:40 > 0:17:42£7, what about it? 7.10?
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Not much cod here today. 7.10?
0:17:44 > 0:17:47Four kilos, it's a good weight, Harry.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Quite a little bidding war going on there for my fish.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Yeah, there was.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53There's not many cod around, to be honest, today.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56I'll buy that. I'll take it back to Taunton, cos we all crept up
0:17:56 > 0:17:58and, by the end of today, six o'clock, that will
0:17:58 > 0:18:01go Michelin-starred restaurant in Chagford.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03My cod got good money, didn't it?
0:18:03 > 0:18:05I think it was £7 a kilo.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08- Oh!- So, I think that fish was a four kilo fish?
0:18:08 > 0:18:11So we're talking £28 just for that one fish.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13That fish will end up on a plate tonight.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15I landed it yesterday afternoon.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19That's what you're paying for.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22You can't get better than that. There is no way around it.
0:18:22 > 0:18:23That's the top of the game.
0:18:23 > 0:18:28In less than 24 hours, Gregg's catch has been sold
0:18:28 > 0:18:30and will be on a restaurant plate this evening.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33I've had a lovely time. Landing the fish
0:18:33 > 0:18:35and then watching this go through auction today has been great.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39Luckily, for me and the fish, there wasn't a lot of cod here today
0:18:39 > 0:18:42and the price actually got £7 a kilo.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46That makes my fish nearly 30 quid and I know where it's going!
0:18:46 > 0:18:49And that just gives me an enormous sense of well-being.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52At £28, or seven quid a portion,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55this catch is a bit pricey for your local chippy
0:18:55 > 0:18:59and is actually heading for a Michelin-starred restaurant.
0:18:59 > 0:19:00Lucky fish.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03Well, I say lucky...
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Are your hands nice and clean?
0:19:06 > 0:19:09Now, there's more to fish and chips than just a chunk of cod,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11meaning there's plenty more products
0:19:11 > 0:19:14you might be able to save your pennies on.
0:19:14 > 0:19:17The boys are back together to look at the king of condiments.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19We'll both have a go at making ketchup, is that right?
0:19:19 > 0:19:22You've used tinned tomatoes, I've got fresh tomatoes.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26Do you need to buy pricey ingredients to make a decent ketchup?
0:19:26 > 0:19:27So, it'll be interesting to see
0:19:27 > 0:19:30if we can do anything that compares with the big brands.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32Gregg and Chris will be pitting their creations
0:19:32 > 0:19:36against the big boy brands in the second of our taste tests,
0:19:36 > 0:19:40using Hastings Amateur Rowing Club as guinea pigs.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42You lucky chaps.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Right, are you going to start with an onion?
0:19:44 > 0:19:47That's probably the best place to start, isn't it, I'd imagine?
0:19:47 > 0:19:49You're always taking the cheapest and easiest route out
0:19:49 > 0:19:52and I'm always trying to get hold of the best ingredients I can.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55That's not fair. I don't always look for the cheapest,
0:19:55 > 0:19:56I look for the value for money.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58You know, can you eat the same for less?
0:19:58 > 0:20:01It's not always paying more
0:20:01 > 0:20:04definitely assures you the best quality.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08How are you getting on with your kilo of baby tomatoes?
0:20:08 > 0:20:10Yeah. This is going to take for ever.
0:20:10 > 0:20:11CHRIS LAUGHS
0:20:13 > 0:20:17So, come on, Gregg. Tell me, what is in your pot of tomato sauce?
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Onions, sweated down, vegetable oil, ginger.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Then fresh tomatoes on the top of that, a little bit of white
0:20:23 > 0:20:29wine vinegar, plenty of pepper, salt and, now, I'm adding brown sugar.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33- Brown sugar?- And that, I am ready to go. I'm ready to strain this now.
0:20:33 > 0:20:34Yeah?
0:20:34 > 0:20:37So, what's in your everyman, everyday, cheap-as-you-like ketchup?
0:20:37 > 0:20:41Well, I thought I'd go really avant-garde with it,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43really push the boat out and go wild,
0:20:43 > 0:20:46so it's predominantly tomatoes, with some onion.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49For any budding mathematicians out there,
0:20:49 > 0:20:51you'll not be surprised to know that
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Gregg's ingredients cost more.
0:20:53 > 0:20:54A lot more.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Right, who's going to win?
0:20:57 > 0:21:00I've got a funny feeling that people don't want you to be too
0:21:00 > 0:21:02clever with your tomato sauce.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05So, I've got a sneaky suspicion I might win it.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07You've got no chance at all.
0:21:07 > 0:21:08I don't know if it's you or the sauce,
0:21:08 > 0:21:11but there's some aromas coming up which are...
0:21:11 > 0:21:14somewhat slightly unfamiliar to me.
0:21:14 > 0:21:15That's soap.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17CHRIS LAUGHS
0:21:17 > 0:21:18Touche, well done. Ba-dum-tsh!
0:21:18 > 0:21:20I don't know what Gregg's playing at.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22He's got ginger in there, he's got white wine vinegar,
0:21:22 > 0:21:26he's got all sorts of different bits and pieces. Cloves.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Basically, he's just clearing out cupboards and chucking everything in.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31I may have gone a little bit over the top with the cost,
0:21:31 > 0:21:35but, those people of Hastings with a discerning palate will be
0:21:35 > 0:21:38able to tell the difference. I hope.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43- There you go.- There we go.- Voila.
0:21:44 > 0:21:45Done! Let's get down to Hastings
0:21:45 > 0:21:47and have a look and see what the public think.
0:21:47 > 0:21:51- They don't look that dissimilar, do they?- Let's find out, shall we?
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Time for Hastings' rowers to put down their oars
0:21:55 > 0:21:59and pick up a chip to dip in a range of sauces.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02There are over 20 brands of ketchup available in supermarkets
0:22:02 > 0:22:06already, including Kania from Lidls,
0:22:06 > 0:22:10the cheapest on test today at just 12p per 100 gram,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Waitrose Essential, 21p,
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Daddies, costing 27p
0:22:16 > 0:22:20market leader, Heinz, 38p,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24Chris's ketchup, which comes in more expensive at 56p,
0:22:24 > 0:22:26and, finally, Gregg's,
0:22:26 > 0:22:30costing a huge 89p per 100 gram.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Once again, it's a blind taste test.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39These fitness fanatics have no idea which sauce is which.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42That's really tomato-y.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Ooh, no, I'm not sure about that.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46That's really nice.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48I prefer that out of all of them.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49How you doing, guys?
0:22:49 > 0:22:52- You've had plenty of chips?- We have.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54You are now, I suppose, ketchup connoisseurs.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56- We definitely are. - WOMAN:- We are indeed, yes.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58So, can you put as out of our misery and let us
0:22:58 > 0:23:00know which was your favourite?
0:23:01 > 0:23:06After much deliberation, the one that came out number one was...
0:23:08 > 0:23:09- ALL:- Oooooh!
0:23:11 > 0:23:13- This one.- You're kidding.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17Who'd have thought it? Gregg's home-made sauce takes the honours.
0:23:17 > 0:23:23You're joking. Here we go. How was that? How was that? Why?
0:23:23 > 0:23:26It was something different. It wasn't generic.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28- WOMAN:- The texture was nice as well.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30- Yeah?- Yeah, really nice.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32- MAN:- It just had a bit of spice to it.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34It was a little bit of a kick, a bit different from the regular
0:23:34 > 0:23:36sort of ketchup you find in your chip shop.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39OK, let's assume you don't have a second mortgage
0:23:39 > 0:23:42to spend on Gregg's ketchup.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45How did the more reasonably priced options compare?
0:23:45 > 0:23:47What was number two, then? What was the second?
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Number two was...
0:23:49 > 0:23:51this one.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Oh! So, that's very interesting.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56That is, in fact, the cheapest out of all of the sauces today.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58- Where's that one from? - That's from Lidl.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59That is interesting.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02- MAN:- The sauce that came first was more expensive
0:24:02 > 0:24:03than the sauce that came second place,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06so I definitely would choose the second-place sauce.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09So, I'm loath to ask, what came in at last place?
0:24:11 > 0:24:14I think the one that came in last was...
0:24:17 > 0:24:19- Oh! MAN:- Oh, no!
0:24:21 > 0:24:26Wow, OK. What was it you didn't like about my mate's?
0:24:26 > 0:24:28It was a bit bland.
0:24:28 > 0:24:29- WOMAN:- A bit watery.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32- MAN:- It didn't have any sort of kick to it.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Was it too tomato-y for you? Was that the problem?
0:24:34 > 0:24:37It wasn't tomato-y enough.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39Well, obviously, the good burghers of Hastings
0:24:39 > 0:24:41have got excellent taste.
0:24:41 > 0:24:42Fairly conclusive.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44LAUGHTER
0:24:45 > 0:24:48So, other than Gregg's super sauce,
0:24:48 > 0:24:50cheaper wins out in this taste test.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53Lidl, the cheapest ketchup, was best of the rest.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55Daddies came third,
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Britain's top-selling brand only managed fourth,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02Waitrose Essentials came fifth and, bottom of the pile,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05was Chris's woeful attempt at ketchup.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09So, the conclusion, home-made is best.
0:25:09 > 0:25:11Except when it's the worst.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17What if you never buy ketchup, I hear you say? Well, fear not.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Look along your supermarket shelves.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22There are hundreds of condiments
0:25:22 > 0:25:24that might benefit from closer inspection.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28Take tartare sauce, a heady mix of mayo, gherkins and capers,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31but not all tartares are equal.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35For example, these three jars vary massively in price.
0:25:35 > 0:25:39100 grams will cost you anything from 46p for an own brand
0:25:39 > 0:25:42to 50p for a market leader
0:25:42 > 0:25:45and £1.50 for a top end condiment.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49On closer inspection, there are some differences in the kind
0:25:49 > 0:25:53of ingredients, but does that mean it's worth spending the extra money?
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Later, the British public will decide whose version
0:25:59 > 0:26:00of fish and chips is tastier,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03so the boys are back on the hunt for ingredients.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07They've found their fish, now for the chips.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10With the final taste test looming,
0:26:10 > 0:26:13Gregg's called on Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge,
0:26:13 > 0:26:17an expert in high-end and high-priced chips.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Feel free to steal any tips and use them at home.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22Tom, the reason I've come to you
0:26:22 > 0:26:25is that I want to find out what
0:26:25 > 0:26:26makes the perfect, and I mean
0:26:26 > 0:26:29- the perfect, chip.- Allow me.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32Step one, choose the right fresh potato.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35Tom's got three varieties to cook for Gregg's test today
0:26:35 > 0:26:37and they all cost roughly the same.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40OK, what we've got is some basic reds, we've got
0:26:40 > 0:26:42a Rooster potato, which is very similar to a Maris.
0:26:42 > 0:26:44This is going to be the best one for chips.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48We've got these ones here, which is your normal baking potatoes
0:26:48 > 0:26:50that you would find from your supermarket.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52This, for a chip, will be rubbish.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55A baking potato has a lot of moisture in it.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58Even when it's fried, it's still watery,
0:26:58 > 0:27:01which stops the outside getting crispy and golden.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Start off with your normal baking potatoes.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Each single chip we cut out with an apple corer.
0:27:06 > 0:27:11Five sacks of these a day, the boys do. All the same size.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13That's not a chip, that's a small fondant!
0:27:13 > 0:27:14LAUGHTER
0:27:14 > 0:27:18So, this one, red potatoes, a little bit more floury.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20These are the Roosters and these are the super bad boys,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23the ones that are going to be the best.
0:27:23 > 0:27:25Freshly picked.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Tom reckons fresh Rooster or Maris is best for chips,
0:27:28 > 0:27:30because it contains less water.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33Yes, even Michelin-starred chefs use everyday spuds.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Is that a portion, do you reckon?
0:27:36 > 0:27:37That's about a portion, yeah.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41How much is a portion of Tom's Michelin-starred chip?
0:27:41 > 0:27:43- It's £4.- It's about 30p a chip.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Yeah, probably. Round about that.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47So, how do you get the moisture out of a spud?
0:27:47 > 0:27:49We're going to cook it three times.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51The first two times are erase moisture.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54First time, we'll blanch them in boiling water.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56Anything between ten and 20 minutes.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59Although you're putting it into a moisture environment,
0:27:59 > 0:28:01what it is actually doing it is cooking it
0:28:01 > 0:28:03and the moisture is coming out of the potato.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Then we're going to leave them on a tray so they steam dry.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09We'll keep all three separate, so we know which one is which.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13These will take about 15 minutes.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15What we've got here is a bag of spuds.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17I mean, there's no cost at all, is there?
0:28:17 > 0:28:21- The expense here is your time and expertise.- Absolutely.
0:28:21 > 0:28:22It's time, it's man hours.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Those are the things that make it a more expensive product.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28With his eye, as ever, on the final taste test,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31Gregg decides to check out the cheaper competition.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35Right, there's them, but there's also some oven chips.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38- Brilliant!- Can we put these in the oven?- Of course we can.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41- What will you do if they turn out crispy and lovely?- They won't.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Chef Kerridge's next step to create the perfect chip
0:28:46 > 0:28:50is the double fry and the fat matters too.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53He always fries in duck fat for added flavour.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56This probably is on 140.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59Then we're going to slowly let the bubbles come out.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05So these have been in here for about ten minutes.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07Bung them into here.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11These are rested for a further ten minutes,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14and then plunged back into the oil at 180 degrees.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16This gives the chips their crunch.
0:29:16 > 0:29:20Supermarket bakers, we've got the reds,
0:29:20 > 0:29:23and these are the super bad boys.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Like pebbles, weren't it?
0:29:26 > 0:29:27Now they are out, the roosters
0:29:27 > 0:29:29- actually, undoubtedly, look the best.- Yeah.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32They're the best even colouring. They are toasty.
0:29:32 > 0:29:33The others look wrong.
0:29:36 > 0:29:42- There we have crinkle cut oven chips. - Oh, dear.- There we go.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44I'm hoping that my staff
0:29:44 > 0:29:46will definitely be able to tell the difference.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51So, Tom's staff must spot the boss' preferred chip.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55Ever get the feeling your job's on the line?
0:29:55 > 0:29:56HE MOUTHS
0:29:59 > 0:30:00Crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside.
0:30:00 > 0:30:02Better than the last one.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04You liked Chef's chip the best.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06- Oh, splendid.- Well done, son.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10How was that?
0:30:10 > 0:30:11It's a bit softer inside.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13It's got a nicer flavour on the outside, I think.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16- Chef will be chuffed. - Brilliant!- You liked his best.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18This...
0:30:24 > 0:30:27- It's dry.- Too dry?- Yeah.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30All five of Tom's staff then keep their jobs,
0:30:30 > 0:30:32choosing his triple-cooked Rooster chip.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36And, in this blind taste test, it seems you get what you pay for.
0:30:36 > 0:30:37Sorry, Chris.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41It goes to show that cooking method can result in a great chip.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Not from a frozen packet, into a tray and in the oven.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47- I find a bit of comfort in that, don't you?- Yeah, absolutely.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50Gregg will be serving fresh triple-cooked chips
0:30:50 > 0:30:53fried in duck fat in the final taste-off.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55- I'm going to get out of your hair. - Thank you.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58- Cheers.- Cheers, Gregg, take care.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04Chris, meanwhile is back hunting for cheaper alternatives
0:31:04 > 0:31:06in the world of mass production.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08I know there's mums and dads up and down the country,
0:31:08 > 0:31:11that need something, cost-effective, quick and tasty
0:31:11 > 0:31:13to feed their little ones on a regular basis,
0:31:13 > 0:31:15which is why I'm here at a chip factory in Norfolk.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24Inside, muddy potatoes are transformed into around ten million
0:31:24 > 0:31:26oven-ready chips, every single day.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31What we have done is we have peeled the potatoes.
0:31:31 > 0:31:32Do you use steam to peel them?
0:31:32 > 0:31:36You literally blast the skin off with steam?
0:31:36 > 0:31:40Over three billion meals a year in Britain are eaten with chips.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Two thirds of which, we buy frozen.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46Mass freezing techniques have come a long way in recent years
0:31:46 > 0:31:48and it's not just chips.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51We eat about 500 million pounds' worth
0:31:51 > 0:31:54of frozen fruit and veg every year.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56They didn't look like this a minute ago.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00- No, what we have done now is we've cut the potatoes into chips.- Yeah.
0:32:00 > 0:32:05What we do is we fire the potato, effectively a metal tennis racket.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07- OK.- It cuts it into little strips.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12- What's this, Simon?- Well, this is our top-secret coating.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16- I can't really tell you what's in it.- It looks like burger sauce.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20It's not that, but needless to say, it's all natural ingredients.
0:32:20 > 0:32:21Excellent!
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Fascinating fact time.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26Oven chips often get their crunch by being coated
0:32:26 > 0:32:28in a flour and milk batter.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32- So what's happening here?- These chips have been cooked three times.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34Three times now.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Now they've gone through a dryer and two fryers.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38What is pretty much the finished product.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42- Could I eat one of these? - Well, they're not fully cooked, but you certainly could.
0:32:47 > 0:32:48Yeah, not far off, is it?
0:32:48 > 0:32:50They need a final cook at home
0:32:50 > 0:32:52but they're pretty much the finished article.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00There we go. Frozen chips.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02They have been cut, cooked and frozen.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04And frozen, and now we send them off to be packed.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10That's fascinating in there.
0:33:10 > 0:33:11These guys are taking this
0:33:11 > 0:33:14and turning it into this within an hour-and-a-half.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16Ten million of these a day they're making.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Who needs a Michelin-star restaurant, Gregg,
0:33:18 > 0:33:20you can eat these in your own home.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23Chris has been sold on oven chips
0:33:23 > 0:33:26and will be serving them in the final taste-off.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29They are not only cheaper than their deep-fried rivals,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32they are also a healthier option, although it's always worth
0:33:32 > 0:33:35checking the pack to find the lowest fat chips.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39Especially, if you're on a diet.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43And speaking of diets, anyone on one stop listening now.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46A 400 gram portion of chips from your local shop contains
0:33:46 > 0:33:49956 calories!
0:33:50 > 0:33:52Today, the boys are wolfing down
0:33:52 > 0:33:55a measly 25 gram handful of their chosen chip
0:33:55 > 0:33:59to see how long it takes to burn off those calories.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01Good luck, Gregg!
0:34:02 > 0:34:04It looks a fair old way round, doesn't it?
0:34:04 > 0:34:07Oh, look at this, this is a lot steeper than I thought.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10- Have you been on a bike recently? - Not for a long, long time.
0:34:10 > 0:34:11No, nor me.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14How many circuits of a South London velodrome will it take for Gregg
0:34:14 > 0:34:19and Chris to burn off a handful of their chosen chips?
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Viewers of a nervous disposition might like to look away now.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28Come on, Gregg, what are you playing at?
0:34:28 > 0:34:33- Oh, oh, oh, look at you.- I don't really look like a cyclist, do I?
0:34:33 > 0:34:36I'm not sure fluorescent green is your colour.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38Oh!
0:34:38 > 0:34:40This is steeper than it looks, isn't it?
0:34:40 > 0:34:42It scarily steep to be honest, mate.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46Trying to burn the calories off, your triple-cooked gourmet chips.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48How many laps is it going to take to burn them off?
0:34:48 > 0:34:50You might be here longer than me, I think, my oven chips.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Are you going to be all right on that, do you need stabilisers?
0:34:59 > 0:35:02- Do you know what, I feel nervous. - You should be in that top, an' all.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05- Are you ready to go? - I think I am, yeah.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07BELL RINGS
0:35:07 > 0:35:09GREGG MOANS
0:35:09 > 0:35:12- I thought that was going to be the toughest bit.- Yeah, yeah.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16Moaning after 17 metres? Really, Gregg!
0:35:16 > 0:35:17Chips away!
0:35:20 > 0:35:22BELL RINGS
0:35:22 > 0:35:24That's one lap successfully completed.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26How long do you reckon they are going to have us out here?
0:35:26 > 0:35:30We are going to be here all day. To burn off 25 grams' worth of chips.
0:35:30 > 0:35:31BELL RINGS
0:35:42 > 0:35:45I've got a feeling I must almost be there, you know.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49BELL RINGS
0:35:49 > 0:35:53After 1,100 metres, Chris has burnt off the calories from his oven chips.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57But, for Gregg, the end is not in sight.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00You're on your own, Gregg.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02- Keep going.- I'm on me own.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09So I did 3.5 minutes out there which is just short of three laps.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12Gregg is still going. I've got a feeling he might be out there for quite some time.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15I think he must be regretting his lovely all-singing,
0:36:15 > 0:36:18all-dancing, triple-cooked, super-duper, duck fat chips.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20BELL RINGS
0:36:21 > 0:36:25Whereas, my oven chips, you pay less for them in the beginning
0:36:25 > 0:36:28and you pay less for them afterwards. It's a simple choice for me.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30BELL RINGS
0:36:32 > 0:36:34Keep going.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36Give me an oven chip!
0:36:36 > 0:36:37CHRIS LAUGHS
0:36:47 > 0:36:51- Oh, oh...- You've had to do a few more than me, haven't you?- Oh, mate!
0:36:51 > 0:36:54- Is that you are done.- Whoa!
0:36:54 > 0:36:55Oh...
0:36:58 > 0:37:02That's the hardest bowl of chips I've ever ridden.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04There you go. Your triple-cooked duck fat chips
0:37:04 > 0:37:06have got more than one cost, haven't they?
0:37:06 > 0:37:10- How long did you do?- I was only 3.5 minutes, I was out there.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12- Eight minutes, I did.- Eight minutes.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15- Eight minutes for 25 grams of chips. - That's nearly three times, isn't it?
0:37:15 > 0:37:18You've got to question whether it's worth it, haven't you?
0:37:18 > 0:37:20And you've paid more for them in the first place.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22So if you've got half an hour to ride off your lunch,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25then by all means have some triple-cooked chips.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28If not, maybe turn your oven on.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31Seeing as we are here, do you fancy another couple of laps around?
0:37:31 > 0:37:35- Really?- Come on. When in Rome, let's go.
0:37:35 > 0:37:39The boys need to get off their bikes and back on the road.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42Soon they will be serving up their version of fish and chips to see
0:37:42 > 0:37:46whether it's worth paying more for this classic British dish.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51So far, Gregg's fished the Devonshire coastline
0:37:51 > 0:37:53and hand caught a fresh cod.
0:37:53 > 0:37:56Oh! Look at him!
0:37:58 > 0:38:00The kind that sell for top dollar to top restaurants,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03less than 24 hours after landing.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06- I think it was seven pounds a kilo. - Oh, seven pounds a kilo.
0:38:06 > 0:38:11That makes my fish nearly 30 quid and I know where it's going.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15Chris braved the Norwegian seas on an industrial factory ship
0:38:15 > 0:38:19which catches and quick-freezes thousands of fish daily.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22This was swimming in the ocean only three hours ago.
0:38:22 > 0:38:27Spot the big difference? One fresh fish, one quick-frozen.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31And it's not just fish and chips you can buy in the frozen aisle.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35Nowadays you can freeze pretty much anything.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40So does fresh produce always taste better than frozen?
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Excuse me, I like your dog and I need your help.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45Gregg certainly seems to think so
0:38:45 > 0:38:47and with an eye on the final taste test,
0:38:47 > 0:38:50he's hit the streets for a spot of market research.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52- Does Mum eat her greens? - Yeah.- She does.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55Mum, I've got two bowls of broccoli, it's all I've got.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58I want you to taste them and tell me which one you like the most.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00On the white napkin is frozen broccoli
0:39:00 > 0:39:04and on the red napkin is fresh, which costs nearly twice as much.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08- I think that one.- The one on the white napkin?- Yeah.
0:39:08 > 0:39:12- That one.- The one on the white napkin?- Yeah.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14Erm, yeah, this one.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- If push came to shove, that one.- That one.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19- You prefer the one on the white napkin?- Yeah..
0:39:19 > 0:39:21The white one is frozen vegetables
0:39:21 > 0:39:23- and the one on the red is fresh. - Oh, right.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26Interestingly, the one you like is frozen and the other one is fresh.
0:39:26 > 0:39:28- Oh.- Fresh is supposed to be nicer
0:39:28 > 0:39:30but I can't tell the difference with those.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33Do you know what? Neither can anybody else.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37The first one tastes very slightly more tasty than that second one.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40You are the first person to pick the fresh out.
0:39:40 > 0:39:44- Maybe I'm a bit of a broccoli genius!- You are a broccoli expert.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46- The frozen one is half the price of the fresh one.- Right.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48- Does that not surprise you? - It does, yeah.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51- You would think that would be more tasty.- Would you buy frozen veg?
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Erm, usually I don't buy it because I don't like the taste of it.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56But, maybe now I will.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59I'm absolutely amazed by the outcome of the broccoli test.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02Virtually everybody picked the frozen one as their favourite.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04The only difference, as I could see, really,
0:40:04 > 0:40:07was the more vivid colour on the fresh.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09Everybody liked the frozen.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12Bad luck, Gregg, it seems the Great British public
0:40:12 > 0:40:15think lower cost produce can taste great.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19- Bye.- Get your broccoli. Get your broccoli. It's lovely.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23So with broccoli, we couldn't really taste the difference, but why not?
0:40:23 > 0:40:27Time for a science lesson. What happens when you freeze food
0:40:27 > 0:40:29and how does it affect the final taste?
0:40:29 > 0:40:33This clever lady in the lab coat has been examining samples of fresh
0:40:33 > 0:40:35and frozen cod.
0:40:35 > 0:40:36Right, what are we looking at here?
0:40:36 > 0:40:41What we have got here are some thin slices taken through fresh cod
0:40:41 > 0:40:45- and cod that has been quickly frozen.- What are we looking for?
0:40:45 > 0:40:47What's good, what's bad?
0:40:47 > 0:40:51What happens when you freeze the fish is that the water forms ice
0:40:51 > 0:40:53and if you do it slowly,
0:40:53 > 0:40:55then it forms really large ice crystals,
0:40:55 > 0:40:57which then when you thaw it out and batter it
0:40:57 > 0:41:01and put it into a deep fat fryer, the fish can be tougher
0:41:01 > 0:41:04because it hasn't got all the water that was there in that fresh fish.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- Ah...- So it dehydrates it? - It dehydrates it.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10If you freeze it quickly, when you've just caught it,
0:41:10 > 0:41:14say out in the sea, and you keep it well frozen,
0:41:14 > 0:41:16then the ice crystals are smaller and, effectively,
0:41:16 > 0:41:20when you thaw it out, deep fry it, it can take the water back up again.
0:41:20 > 0:41:24Under a microscope, Gregg's fresh cod looks best
0:41:24 > 0:41:26as Chris's fish is full of ice particles.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29But Chris's regains most of its quality
0:41:29 > 0:41:32once it's defrosted and cooked. Got that, boys?
0:41:34 > 0:41:38If it's freshly caught, goes into a blast freezer quickly frozen,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41than the quality can be just as good as a fresh fish.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43Hang on a minute.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47We're talking about freezing this as well as we can
0:41:47 > 0:41:51- so it mostly resembles a fresh fish?- Yeah.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54But, of course, we are all agreeing
0:41:54 > 0:41:57that the fresh fish is what we should be aiming at?
0:41:57 > 0:42:04It is if you can catch it and eat it within 12 hours of catching it.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06The longer it is out of the water, it's deteriorating,
0:42:06 > 0:42:09whereas the freezing process will stop that breakdown.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13You believe that fish very quickly frozen
0:42:13 > 0:42:15could possibly be as good as fresh?
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Yes, I think so.
0:42:17 > 0:42:21So for shoppers like me, the message you say is quite clear.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24Frozen fish from the shop can be quality
0:42:24 > 0:42:26but there is no way you can tell on the box...
0:42:26 > 0:42:29- How long it's been in the freezer. - Or, how quickly they froze it.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32At least with a fresh fish you know it's fresh.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35I mean, we're not saying there is a huge difference
0:42:35 > 0:42:37between fresh and frozen, as long as the frozen
0:42:37 > 0:42:41- is frozen quick enough.- Yeah. - That's it.- That's it.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43You don't need to feel bad about buying frozen fish,
0:42:43 > 0:42:45as long as the fish is frozen quickly.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47I've had that scientist's point of view,
0:42:47 > 0:42:49it is a little bit controversial. I'm not sure that I agree.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53What I would really like is to get the British public's point of view
0:42:53 > 0:42:54on fresh over frozen cod.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57Almost sounds like you're getting a bit nervous, Gregg.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00The boys will get to test their expensive fresh
0:43:00 > 0:43:04and cheaper frozen fish very soon.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08But, before that, I think it's time for one final mini taste test.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10Fried, baked, cheap or expensive,
0:43:10 > 0:43:13no matter what sort of fish-and-chips take your fancy,
0:43:13 > 0:43:17people up and down the country love to dowse them in vinegar.
0:43:19 > 0:43:21Even polo players in Surrey.
0:43:21 > 0:43:25And, deep in the countryside, these equine lovers have dismounted
0:43:25 > 0:43:29to put five popular vinegars to the test.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31Well, I say "popular".
0:43:31 > 0:43:32We have thrown in a few curveballs
0:43:32 > 0:43:35to see what this lots' refined palates make of them.
0:43:35 > 0:43:38I think fish and chips is not really fish and chips without vinegar.
0:43:38 > 0:43:40They are made to be together.
0:43:40 > 0:43:44So let's start with what most of us buy, malt vinegar.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47ASDA Smart Price is the cheapest in our test,
0:43:47 > 0:43:50followed by market leader Sarson's,
0:43:50 > 0:43:54then we leave malt and get a bit posh with Maille's cider vinegar.
0:43:54 > 0:43:59Before moving a little left-field with El Majuelo Macetilla,
0:43:59 > 0:44:02a sherry vinegar.
0:44:02 > 0:44:06And, finally, Belazu Balsamic, you might like to save up for this one.
0:44:06 > 0:44:09To be a balsamic, it must come from Modena in Italy.
0:44:09 > 0:44:11I bet you didn't know that!
0:44:15 > 0:44:18So, will our polo players plump for the pricey products,
0:44:18 > 0:44:20or value vinegars?
0:44:20 > 0:44:21It's really good, that one.
0:44:23 > 0:44:24That one is good.
0:44:24 > 0:44:25That's proper vinegar.
0:44:25 > 0:44:27That one is terrible.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29A, I found was very watery
0:44:29 > 0:44:34and just soaked up the chips into making them quite a soggy mess.
0:44:34 > 0:44:36- It tastes like cider that's gone off.- Yeah.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38This one's nice and sweet and I like sweet things
0:44:38 > 0:44:40so it worked quite well for me.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Time to reveal the winner.
0:44:46 > 0:44:50- Ah...- They've chosen the priciest vinegar, Belazu Balsamic,
0:44:50 > 0:44:54at a huge £5.20 per 100 millilitres.
0:44:54 > 0:44:57I've had cheaper wine than that.
0:44:57 > 0:44:59It's quite bad that from the polo players
0:44:59 > 0:45:03we were the ones that chose the most expensive one.
0:45:03 > 0:45:06I'm quite surprised the balsamic vinegar came first because
0:45:06 > 0:45:09well, to be honest, it just wasn't a thought that popped up
0:45:09 > 0:45:12that it would be. You thought it would be more regular ones
0:45:12 > 0:45:13like the Sarson's ones.
0:45:13 > 0:45:17So balsamic wins but how did the malts compare?
0:45:17 > 0:45:20The cheaper vinegars, you couldn't tell the difference between the malts
0:45:20 > 0:45:25of the ASDA one that was very basic and the more expensive one.
0:45:26 > 0:45:27There you have it.
0:45:27 > 0:45:31Behind the expensive balsamic was Maille cider in second place.
0:45:31 > 0:45:33Third was the first of the malts
0:45:33 > 0:45:36and the cheapest offering, ASDA Smart Price.
0:45:36 > 0:45:38Fourth, Sarson's malt
0:45:38 > 0:45:41and in fifth place, El Majuelo.
0:45:41 > 0:45:44But, remember, if you are sticking to malt vinegars,
0:45:44 > 0:45:47maybe you don't need to pay those extra pennies.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52And whilst we are looking for ways to save,
0:45:52 > 0:45:56you might like to investigate vinegar's partner in crime, salt.
0:45:56 > 0:45:59Take these two brands of table salt.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02100 grams will set you back 6p for a low-cost option
0:46:02 > 0:46:05and 12p for a well-known brand.
0:46:05 > 0:46:07If you want to get posh,
0:46:07 > 0:46:11then a pure sea salt of version will set you back £1.94.
0:46:11 > 0:46:15Now, sea salt is totally natural
0:46:15 > 0:46:18and not processed, unlike table salt.
0:46:18 > 0:46:23But, considering all salt is mostly made up of, well, salt,
0:46:23 > 0:46:26can you taste the difference?
0:46:28 > 0:46:31Back on the road, there is one last crucial element to finding
0:46:31 > 0:46:35Gregg's search for the very best fish and chips - batter.
0:46:35 > 0:46:37If you want the very best batter,
0:46:37 > 0:46:41you could do worse than calling on another top chef, Tim Hughes.
0:46:41 > 0:46:46- Hello, Chef.- Hello, Gregg.- I want a recipe for battered cod.- Sure.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49- I want the batter.- Quality beer batter. Sure. I'll show you it.
0:46:49 > 0:46:53- Lovely and crispy. So, we use lager, or you can use a bitter.- But why beer?
0:46:53 > 0:46:56Because there's already yeast inside the beer, so it's active,
0:46:56 > 0:47:00- so it makes it crispy.- Got you. - We use self-raising flour.- Right.
0:47:00 > 0:47:02- Make it even lighter and fluffy?- Yeah.
0:47:02 > 0:47:05This batter you can make it, literally, in one minute,
0:47:05 > 0:47:08rest it for about three minutes and then off you go and you cook.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11- Is that it?- Yeah, so pour the beer in the bowl.
0:47:11 > 0:47:15- If Chris was here now, he'd have his head in that bowl. - Yeah, pour in the flour.
0:47:15 > 0:47:18- Whisk.- Just whisk until the lumps are gone.
0:47:18 > 0:47:20Yeah, whisk until the lumps are gone.
0:47:20 > 0:47:23- See, smooth?- Yeah. - It's the right consistency.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26Put a pinch of cayenne for the devilness.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28Just a splash of soya, only a splash.
0:47:28 > 0:47:30It gives the colour when the fish are frying,
0:47:30 > 0:47:33it gives a slightly golden colour. And there's...
0:47:33 > 0:47:37- There's the batter. - That is easy and has cost nothing.
0:47:37 > 0:47:39Well, it's the cost of the beer.
0:47:39 > 0:47:42Do you know what, I would've thought that the bubbles in lager
0:47:42 > 0:47:44would have helped to keep the batter light
0:47:44 > 0:47:46- but that's not it. - No.- It's the yeast.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48Well, even I could make that!
0:47:53 > 0:47:55See, that's great. That is quality.
0:47:55 > 0:47:57I don't know what Chris has got in mind
0:47:57 > 0:47:58- but it's not going to be that.- No.
0:47:58 > 0:48:04Chris is looking for batter but there's not a drop of beer in sight.
0:48:04 > 0:48:07- Hello, mate, how are you doing? - Hello, Chris. How are you? - I'm all right, mate.
0:48:07 > 0:48:09I'm just here to pick your brains about batter, if I can.
0:48:09 > 0:48:12- Yeah, come around. Brilliant. - Thank you very much.
0:48:12 > 0:48:15He's come to his local chippy to find the low-cost alternative.
0:48:15 > 0:48:19So in a beautiful Great British traditional fish-and-chip shop,
0:48:19 > 0:48:21how do you make your batter?
0:48:21 > 0:48:24- We just buy pre-packaged batter like this one.- OK. What is in this?
0:48:24 > 0:48:26We've got wheat flour, raising agents, soya flour.
0:48:26 > 0:48:29- It's pretty much just flour, is it? - It's just wheat flour, yeah.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33- Can I have a go at making some? - Yeah, sure. Get some water.
0:48:33 > 0:48:35- This is just tap water, is it? - Yeah, just fresh tap water, yeah.
0:48:35 > 0:48:38I know my colleague, Gregg, would probably want us to use
0:48:38 > 0:48:41the finest spring water. How am I getting on here?
0:48:41 > 0:48:44- Keep going. - Keep going, yeah. Lovely job.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47- How do you know when done?- It just runs off the whisk. That's lovely.
0:48:47 > 0:48:50- Like this, this is all right, is it? - That's fine, yeah.
0:48:50 > 0:48:51Now for the bad news.
0:48:51 > 0:48:55A battered cod contains about 11 grams of fat, that's nearly
0:48:55 > 0:48:56a tablespoon of butter
0:48:56 > 0:48:59but that might not be as bad as it used to be.
0:48:59 > 0:49:02Am I wrong in thinking that batter over the years has got thinner.
0:49:02 > 0:49:05I remember when I was at kid, it used to be thick,
0:49:05 > 0:49:06almost thicker than the fish?
0:49:06 > 0:49:09Probably as independent shops there is more competition,
0:49:09 > 0:49:11like McDonald's, Pizza Express, that kind of thing.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14We've got to be more on our game so the quality has got to be better.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18So the thinner the batter, it retains less oil, so it's healthier.
0:49:18 > 0:49:22- The fish is crispy and less fat flavoured, so it tastes better. - Definitely, yeah.
0:49:22 > 0:49:25Presumably the batter goes much further by being thinner,
0:49:25 > 0:49:29- so represents good value? - Definitely.- That'll do for me.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33So the cost of fish, is that going up at the minute?
0:49:33 > 0:49:36Not really, it's sort of stable, maybe it's coming down a fraction.
0:49:36 > 0:49:39- It's actually come down, has it? - A little bit, yes.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42I went out to Norway and I was on one of these huge, great boats.
0:49:42 > 0:49:44They are out there, line-catching,
0:49:44 > 0:49:47tonnes and tonnes of these fish to get the cost down. So, it's working.
0:49:47 > 0:49:50Definitely, yeah. Definitely.
0:49:50 > 0:49:54So this chip shop owner thinks large-scale fishing abroad
0:49:54 > 0:49:56is helping keep cod affordable.
0:49:56 > 0:50:01One in the eye for Gregg and Chris has found a low-cost batter to boot.
0:50:04 > 0:50:06The time has finally arrived.
0:50:06 > 0:50:08Fitting end to the journey, I feel.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10GREGG LAUGHS
0:50:10 > 0:50:12The boys are back in a very windy Hastings
0:50:12 > 0:50:14for the final public taste test.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17Nice little town, the people will have good palates.
0:50:17 > 0:50:19Obviously appreciate the finer things.
0:50:19 > 0:50:22Be interesting to see, I don't think you're going to impress
0:50:22 > 0:50:25anybody with your posh fish and chips round here, to be honest, Gregg.
0:50:25 > 0:50:28After trawling the UK and Europe for the finest ingredients
0:50:28 > 0:50:33and cheaper alternatives, it's now down to the British public to decide
0:50:33 > 0:50:37whose food tastes better and whether it's worth paying that bit more.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40Ladies and gentleman, lovely to be joining you here in Hastings,
0:50:40 > 0:50:43a wonderful town and we've got something wonderful for you,
0:50:43 > 0:50:45something I know you're going to enjoy.
0:50:45 > 0:50:48- We've got fish and chips for you. - Today, they've got a choice.
0:50:48 > 0:50:52Gregg's expensive British hand-caught cod in beer batter,
0:50:52 > 0:50:56served with triple-cooked chips and fried in duck fat.
0:50:56 > 0:50:59The ingredients alone cost £2.93.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02Or Chris's frozen-at-sea Norwegian cod, and the humble
0:51:02 > 0:51:05but much healthier oven chip.
0:51:05 > 0:51:08Almost half the price at just £1.83.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11I'm confident you're going to enjoy it because it's one of Britain's
0:51:11 > 0:51:14most popular dishes. As you've all been brought up with it
0:51:14 > 0:51:16you are undoubtedly fish-and-chip experts.
0:51:16 > 0:51:19First of all, you're going to get two different types of chips.
0:51:19 > 0:51:23There's no right or wrong. We just want to know which ones you prefer.
0:51:24 > 0:51:27The public have no idea whose plate is whose.
0:51:27 > 0:51:31Let's face it, Gregg's pricey plates should be streets ahead,
0:51:31 > 0:51:35starting with his triple-cooked chips on the purple plate.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38But can Chris pull off another economy coup
0:51:38 > 0:51:41with his cheaper chips on the green plate?
0:51:41 > 0:51:43Guys, you have the sort of physique that makes me
0:51:43 > 0:51:45think you may have sunk one or two chips in your time.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47- What did you think? - I didn't really like those.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50- No.- As far as chips go. - They were oven chips, weren't they?
0:51:50 > 0:51:53- Definitely oven chips, yeah. - They were oven chips?
0:51:53 > 0:51:55- That's what they tasted like. - How would you know?
0:51:55 > 0:51:58Because they're softer in the middle, not as crispy on the outside.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00- Did you like the purple ones?- Yes.
0:52:00 > 0:52:02So what is the purple ones that you liked?
0:52:02 > 0:52:05- Crispy outside.- Thicker.- Thicker.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08I preferred the purple, the texture, the crispiness.
0:52:08 > 0:52:12- They were more enjoyable to eat. - Who preferred what?- They were better.
0:52:12 > 0:52:15- They were crunchier. - What did you think of the green ones?
0:52:15 > 0:52:19They just felt like I could go down to my supermarket,
0:52:19 > 0:52:21buy them at the shop, put them in the oven.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23If I was going out to a fish-and-chip shop and got that,
0:52:23 > 0:52:27I would be a bit upset with it, to be honest.
0:52:27 > 0:52:31- The green one reminded me of school dinners.- In the '30s, sir?
0:52:31 > 0:52:32Ooh!
0:52:32 > 0:52:34LAUGHTER
0:52:34 > 0:52:36The official results will come later
0:52:36 > 0:52:39but after tasting two quality products, it already
0:52:39 > 0:52:42looks like Gregg's chips are getting the thumbs up.
0:52:42 > 0:52:44What did you make of that?
0:52:44 > 0:52:47Well, I mean it looks like the purple plate is coming out on top.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49These guys haven't voted yet
0:52:49 > 0:52:53so it's all still to play for and I think the fish is the main one.
0:52:53 > 0:52:56I mean, chips, OK. It's all about the fish for me
0:52:56 > 0:52:58and I think if I can get this one, I'll be happy.
0:53:00 > 0:53:04In some of the previous taste tests we've done, Joe Public preferred
0:53:04 > 0:53:09the cheaper option, and now Chris is banking on his lower-cost
0:53:09 > 0:53:12frozen fish tasting just as good as fresh.
0:53:12 > 0:53:14So you just had the yellow and blue plates of fish.
0:53:14 > 0:53:16- Which one did you prefer? - The blue.- The blue.
0:53:16 > 0:53:19What was it about the blue that you preferred?
0:53:19 > 0:53:22- It was a lot lighter and the fish was more moist.- OK.
0:53:22 > 0:53:26The blue plate is Gregg's beer-battered hand-caught cod.
0:53:26 > 0:53:27Chin up, Chris.
0:53:27 > 0:53:31- And the yellow one.- Dry.- Which piece of fish came out on top for you?
0:53:31 > 0:53:34- Blue.- Blue.- Yeah.- The fish was soft and the batter was crispy.
0:53:34 > 0:53:37OK. And the yellow, what was wrong with the fish on the yellow plate?
0:53:37 > 0:53:39The fish was drier on the yellow one.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41The fish was drier on the yellow one.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44Sir, excuse me, what did you think of the yellow plate?
0:53:44 > 0:53:47To tell you the truth I wouldn't know the difference.
0:53:47 > 0:53:50- Fair enough, fair enough. - Yellow or blue?- Blue.
0:53:50 > 0:53:53- Blue, blue, blue, blue, blue.- Yeah.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56The blue one tasted fishier. It was nicer.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02Right, now you've all sampled the chips and the fish.
0:54:02 > 0:54:05We need to collect the results. Form an orderly queue.
0:54:05 > 0:54:08We know what you're like down here in Hastings, hooligans. Come on.
0:54:14 > 0:54:17Now, madam, you had purple chips and green chips. Which did you prefer?
0:54:17 > 0:54:20- Green.- Green chips. And the fish,
0:54:20 > 0:54:23- you had blue and you had yellow? - Blue.
0:54:23 > 0:54:26- Right, one each, not a bad start. - Purple chips.- Purple chips.
0:54:26 > 0:54:31- And blue fish.- Blue fish. Righto. - Purple chips.- Blue fish.
0:54:31 > 0:54:36- Chris, it's a whitewash, an absolute whitewash.- Purple chips.- Of course.
0:54:36 > 0:54:39- And blue fish.- Righto. - Come on, don't let me down.
0:54:39 > 0:54:41- Green chips.- Green chips.
0:54:41 > 0:54:45- And yellow fish.- Are you kidding? Are you kidding?
0:54:45 > 0:54:48Good girl, I knew you looked like you had good taste. Thank you very much.
0:54:48 > 0:54:52It's not looking good for Chris's economy fish and chips.
0:54:52 > 0:54:55- Purple and blue.- Right. You're not running out of chalk, are you?
0:54:55 > 0:54:59- I'm sweating here!- Purple and blue. - Purple and blue.- Purple and yellow.
0:54:59 > 0:55:05- Purple and yellow! Are you drinking, madam?- Green and blue.
0:55:05 > 0:55:09- Green and blue.- Green and blue. - Purple and blue again.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11Purple and blue.
0:55:11 > 0:55:14Don't need to be a mathematician, do you, to see what's gone on here?
0:55:14 > 0:55:16That's conclusive, isn't it?
0:55:18 > 0:55:21There were 50 of you that sat down so let me tell you what you liked.
0:55:21 > 0:55:2446 people preferred mine.
0:55:24 > 0:55:31What you actually ate and loved was triple-cooked duck fat chips.
0:55:31 > 0:55:36And the alternative was your everyday frozen oven-cooked chips.
0:55:36 > 0:55:41All right, now let me tell you about the cod. OK? Again, overwhelming.
0:55:41 > 0:55:4344 out of 50 preferred my cod.
0:55:43 > 0:55:50What you had there was line-caught British sea-fresh cod. All right?
0:55:50 > 0:55:51So well done.
0:55:51 > 0:55:56And the alternative was caught in the Barents Sea in Norway.
0:55:56 > 0:56:01What is undoubtedly clear to us is that you obviously prefer
0:56:01 > 0:56:06line-caught fresh British fish with old-fashioned fried chips.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09- Well done, ladies and gentlemen. - Hastings has spoken.
0:56:09 > 0:56:12CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:56:16 > 0:56:19The windswept locals have chosen the most expensive food today,
0:56:19 > 0:56:22but would they have paid the extra money?
0:56:22 > 0:56:25- You buy something cheap, it tastes cheap.- You liked the cheaper one.
0:56:25 > 0:56:29But I did like the cheaper one, I'm sorry. I liked the batter on the cheaper one.
0:56:29 > 0:56:32I don't mind paying more, because it was more taste to it.
0:56:32 > 0:56:36I'd always pay more for quality. You get what you pay for.
0:56:36 > 0:56:38So that's what Hastings thinks.
0:56:38 > 0:56:41But remember what we've seen. You can happily save
0:56:41 > 0:56:46on all sorts of everyday items, like sausage rolls and frozen broccoli.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49And this lot don't know how many laps Gregg had to cycle
0:56:49 > 0:56:52to burn off those triple-cooked chips!
0:56:52 > 0:56:55But when it comes to your Friday night fish and chips,
0:56:55 > 0:56:57if you can afford to treat yourself,
0:56:57 > 0:57:00then maybe you'll taste the difference.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02I'm a bit sad, it's all come to an end. The journey's over.
0:57:02 > 0:57:04It's been interesting, hasn't it?
0:57:04 > 0:57:06I don't want to say, "I told you so, Chris,"
0:57:06 > 0:57:08- but you got a lot to learn, son. - CHRIS LAUGHS
0:57:08 > 0:57:11What it's shown is that people can actually taste the difference
0:57:11 > 0:57:14in the more expensive. Whether they want to pay for the more expensive,
0:57:14 > 0:57:16that's another question.
0:57:16 > 0:57:18They said they would today. I don't think there's a right or wrong.
0:57:18 > 0:57:20I think everything has its place.
0:57:20 > 0:57:22I think the more expensive version has a place,
0:57:22 > 0:57:25as does the cheaper, more standard fare.
0:57:25 > 0:57:28Mate, if it's hot and it's steaming and it's got salt and vinegar,
0:57:28 > 0:57:30it's kind of OK, isn't it?
0:57:30 > 0:57:33Yeah, everybody, no matter what their opinion, has a real soft spot
0:57:33 > 0:57:37for fish and chips. So, to show you I'm magnanimous in defeat,
0:57:37 > 0:57:40Gregg, how about I treat you to a fish and chip supper?
0:57:40 > 0:57:42No, no, no, no more fish and chips. How about a curry?
0:57:42 > 0:57:44- I could go to a curry. - An expensive curry?
0:57:44 > 0:57:49- Well, if I'm paying, it'll have to be a cheap one.- Come on. Come on.
0:57:53 > 0:57:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd