0:00:02 > 0:00:03Us Brits love fast food.
0:00:03 > 0:00:08We spend a staggering £6 billion on takeaway every single year
0:00:08 > 0:00:11and we have more places serving it up than anywhere else in Europe.
0:00:15 > 0:00:18Across this series, from curry to Chinese,
0:00:18 > 0:00:22we'll be exploring our love affair with takeaway.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29This week, we're looking at what makes fish and chips fantastic
0:00:29 > 0:00:34and going behind the counters of Britain's top chippies...
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Into the pan, skin side down.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39..to discover their trade secrets.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41- Lovely and crisp. - Oh, yeah. Rock-hard.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44We'll be uncovering the fascinating history behind our national dish.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48So this country was built on chips?
0:00:48 > 0:00:50OK, can we get another order, please?
0:00:50 > 0:00:54And we're inviting three award-winning chippies to a contest...
0:00:54 > 0:00:55As soon as you can, get them out.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Chuck them in there, chuck them in there.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00..to find out who makes the best fish and chips.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04We're celebrating the real food we eat and the people behind it.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14- What can I get you? - Fish and chips.- Fish and chips.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18Sprinkled with salt and vinegar and wrapped in paper,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Brits are in love with fish and chips.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26To feed our passion the UK has over 10,000 chippies.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29That's more than eight times the number of McDonald's.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31So we've been searching the country
0:01:31 > 0:01:34to find out what makes the best fish and chips.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39Fast food has had a bad reputation
0:01:39 > 0:01:43but I believe, with a little bit of care and attention to detail,
0:01:43 > 0:01:44it can be brilliant.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46- Salt and vinegar, darling? - Yes, please.- Perfect.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50So we've found three of the finest independent chippies
0:01:50 > 0:01:51to take part in a contest.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Anything else? Mushy peas, curry sauce, gravy?
0:01:54 > 0:01:57They're all award-winning, and they're all very different
0:01:57 > 0:02:01but they each believe that their fish and chips are the best.
0:02:05 > 0:02:06Ahead of the contest,
0:02:06 > 0:02:10chef Tom Kerridge is in Yorkshire to meet the first chippy,
0:02:10 > 0:02:11Papa's in Hull.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Every week, they served up to 2,000 portions of fish and chips.
0:02:18 > 0:02:24That's 950 kilos of fish and two tonnes of potatoes.
0:02:25 > 0:02:26Hello, George and Dino.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28- How are we?- Very well, thank you.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30- Nice to meet you. - Very well and very busy.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32You have the official title in The Guinness Book Of World Records
0:02:32 > 0:02:34as the largest fish and chip shop in the world.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37- That's right.- And so that includes 400 people in there
0:02:37 > 0:02:41- and there's about another 400 queuing up.- Yeah!
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Oh, my God. I've been to many a fish and chip shop
0:02:43 > 0:02:46up and down the country, as you can tell, but this one,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49I've never seen anything like this. So how did it all start?
0:02:49 > 0:02:52We started cooking fish and chips as a family in 1966.
0:02:52 > 0:02:53- That was my grandad.- Yeah.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55We're the third generation.
0:02:55 > 0:02:57Our dad's behind the pans today, cooking as well.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59- Hello, Dad.- Hello!
0:02:59 > 0:03:00How you doing? You OK?
0:03:00 > 0:03:01Absolutely fantastic.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Which is the fish that you normally like to serve the best?
0:03:04 > 0:03:06It's only haddock down here.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Really? Yeah, you can tell someone from down south,
0:03:09 > 0:03:10when they come and order a piece of cod.
0:03:10 > 0:03:1190% of the time...
0:03:11 > 0:03:1599% of the time, it's haddock and chips.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20The haddock is coated in batter made from a secret family recipe,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23handed down to dad Sid from his father.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25So how long have you been doing this, Sid?
0:03:25 > 0:03:26I'm doing it for 33 years now.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29You're the engine room, aren't you? You're the beating heart.
0:03:29 > 0:03:30Exactly. It's his baby.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33My passion is exactly the same how I start.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36- Yeah.- After 33 years.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38OK, how does it all work behind the scenes here?
0:03:38 > 0:03:41On this side, we're cooking all of the fish.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43On that side, we're cooking all of the chips.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46- And is it oil?- No, it's dripping.
0:03:46 > 0:03:47- But...- Hey!
0:03:47 > 0:03:50And why do we use beef dripping here?
0:03:50 > 0:03:52It gives you a great traditional Yorkshire fish and chip taste.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55OK, so it's got another underlying flavour...
0:03:55 > 0:03:58- Exactly, yeah.- So it feels very British, very Yorkshire.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Dino is a champion fish fryer.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04So where did you win that award, and how long ago?
0:04:04 > 0:04:06This was 2016, so this year.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08In the National Fish And Chip Awards this year.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11- Best male fish fryer? - In England, yeah.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13I want to be taught how to cook fish and chips
0:04:13 > 0:04:15by the fish and chip master, by the head fryer.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19Into the pan, skin side down, and we let go.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21- Let go?- Skin side down because it gives it more protection.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24So as it's sitting there, it's cooking on the bottom.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Protection from the oil, and the fish isn't breaking up?
0:04:26 > 0:04:27- Exactly, yeah.- All right.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29So when you've got ten pieces of fish in here,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31you're making sure that none of those ten pieces of fish
0:04:31 > 0:04:34- are actually sticking?- Exactly. - Making sure that it cooks evenly.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36- Absolutely. - It has got some mad skills.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38It does, a real technique.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41On a busy day, Dino and his family
0:04:41 > 0:04:45will be frying 200 pieces of haddock an hour.
0:04:45 > 0:04:46Nice and crispy.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49If you could just turn it the other way around, that's skin side up.
0:04:49 > 0:04:50OK, so which way do you want it?
0:04:50 > 0:04:52- There you go. That way. - That way round?- Spot-on.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54And why do you want skin side at the bottom when it's in the rack?
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Because all the crispy bits on the top, all of these,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59you want them to be visible to the customer.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01We put the crispy bits on the bottom,
0:05:01 > 0:05:02the batter bits will all crumble off.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04You'll break them off. So here you want texture,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07you want taste, and you want everybody to visualise
0:05:07 > 0:05:10- how wonderful that's going to be.- Absolutely.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Thank you very much!
0:05:12 > 0:05:14So I've just spent a couple of hours witnessing
0:05:14 > 0:05:17one of the most incredible food services I think I've ever seen.
0:05:17 > 0:05:18Fish and chips,
0:05:18 > 0:05:20but on such a scale,
0:05:20 > 0:05:22but a standard that's so incredibly high.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24They're cooking great traditional fish and chips,
0:05:24 > 0:05:28but they'll be up against two equally prestigious chippies
0:05:28 > 0:05:29in our contest.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36- How long on my cod, please? - One minute.- OK.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38Husband and wife Tim and Kelly
0:05:38 > 0:05:43have been voted one of the top fish and chip shops in the south-west.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44Thank you very much.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47Krispies in Devon is a small seaside chippy,
0:05:47 > 0:05:51and it's the second fish and chip shop taking part in our contest.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55What sort of fish is the biggest seller here?
0:05:55 > 0:05:56- It's cod.- Cod?
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Yeah, over 95% of our fish is cod.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00Is that because we're down south?
0:06:00 > 0:06:02- It's a very regional thing. - Yeah, very regional.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04- From the Midlands down, it fades into cod.- OK.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07Whereas you go past the Midlands and up, it goes into haddock.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09Why is it called Krispies?
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Well, our lightly battered chips. That's what we're known for.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15They believe their trademark chips, fried in batter,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19is what makes theirs the perfect fish and chips.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23This is batter. So this is the secret batter.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27Most batter is a simple mix of flour, water and baking powder.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Is there a difference between that batter and the fish batter?
0:06:30 > 0:06:32- Completely different. - What is it that makes it orange?
0:06:32 > 0:06:35There is... Yeah, the secret.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37And then it's just pure back work.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41OK. So potatoes, batter, broom handle.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43- Yeah.- Job done.- Job done.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45And then we tip it in.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49Like many top chippies, Tim double-fries his chips.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51OK, so this has cooked it at a slightly lower temperature
0:06:51 > 0:06:52for longer to soften them up.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54As if, I suppose, you're steaming them,
0:06:54 > 0:06:55or parboiling them.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Yeah, we cook them at 155 degrees.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Keeps them fluffy on the inside.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02- So you get...- You want to get right underneath them.
0:07:02 > 0:07:03Get them moving.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05After the first fry,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07he finishes them off at a higher temperature
0:07:07 > 0:07:09to make them nice and crisp.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12If you have a soggy chip,
0:07:12 > 0:07:16it's always because you're cooking at too low a temperature.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19- Crispy chips.- Crispy chips!
0:07:22 > 0:07:24Friday in the sun.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27The smell of sun cream in the air and fish and chips, can't beat it.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29A classic piece of cod in batter.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32It's the nation's favourite fried fish.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36And those crispy chips are a real clever, original idea
0:07:36 > 0:07:39but is that actually enough to win this contest?
0:07:42 > 0:07:46Fish and chips - a symbol of our nation the world over
0:07:46 > 0:07:49but just how British are they?
0:07:57 > 0:08:01A clue lies in the Victorian-era streets of east London...
0:08:03 > 0:08:06..described in Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09"In its filthy shops are exposed for sale
0:08:09 > 0:08:12"huge bunches of second-hand silk handkerchiefs
0:08:12 > 0:08:14"of all sizes and patterns.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18"Confined as the limits of Feld Lane are, it has its barber,
0:08:18 > 0:08:22"its coffee shop, its beer shop, and its fried-fish warehouse."
0:08:26 > 0:08:27The owners of those warehouses
0:08:27 > 0:08:30were Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36This was probably typical of where all the Jewish people, you know, lived.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Big communities.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43Historian and chef Denise Phillips' great-grandparents arrived in London
0:08:43 > 0:08:47in the early 1900s, along with thousands of other Jews,
0:08:47 > 0:08:49to escape persecution.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51They'd just come over from Russia.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55You'd want to bring with you the food that you are familiar with.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59Pickled cucumbers, beetroot, herrings, smoked salmon.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01And, obviously,...
0:09:01 > 0:09:05- Fried fish!- So fried fish is a Jewish traditional food?
0:09:05 > 0:09:07It is when it's cold,
0:09:07 > 0:09:09because we can't cook on the Sabbath.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13So you cook on the Friday and have it Friday night.
0:09:15 > 0:09:20This original-style fried fish was often coated in breadcrumbs.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24Batter became more popular when fried fish took off commercially.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28Denise, this is amazing.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32What began as a humble immigrant dish
0:09:32 > 0:09:35has become a national takeaway favourite.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41A few miles away in Camden Town...
0:09:42 > 0:09:44What have we got here?
0:09:44 > 0:09:47..our final contestant, young dad Simon,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50is bringing fish and chips right up to date.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52We are new-school fish and chips.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54- New-school? - New-school fish and chips.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56- Not old-school?- No, not traditional. More so.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00- OK.- What we're doing is taking a totally fresh look at it.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Simon trained in Michelin-star restaurants
0:10:03 > 0:10:05before opening his chippy
0:10:05 > 0:10:07and believes his gourmet approach
0:10:07 > 0:10:10makes his the perfect fish and chips.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14I was just looking at a dish that, I felt, hadn't really changed a huge amount.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Put a little modern spin on it.
0:10:16 > 0:10:22Simon's experience as a classically trained chef inspires his recipes.
0:10:22 > 0:10:23So you want me to put the fish in?
0:10:23 > 0:10:25Yeah, nice pat down, as well.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29He uses spices from around the world to add modern flavours.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Look at that. So it's gone from that white fish.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33That is loads of flavour going in there.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34Then into our egg wash,
0:10:34 > 0:10:36which is just beaten egg and a little bit of milk.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38- Yeah.- Then into our breadcrumbs.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40So this is the Argentinian mix.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42- Yeah.- What other mixes have you got?
0:10:42 > 0:10:45We have Ethiopian Berber spice.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48I just kind of look around the world and see what people, other cultures,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50other countries are doing.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53I mean, I have to say, Argentina and Ethiopia
0:10:53 > 0:10:55are two of the last places I would ever think of going
0:10:55 > 0:10:56for fish and chips!
0:10:56 > 0:10:57Yeah.
0:10:59 > 0:11:00So I'll pop this in here.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04Simon's determined to modernise every aspect of fish and chips
0:11:04 > 0:11:06to make his the best.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09OK, so cardboard boxes, not wrapping paper?
0:11:09 > 0:11:11It keeps it crisp. Really important.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15If you wrap it up, it just sweats and it just goes to mush.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17Simon's really enthusiastic
0:11:17 > 0:11:20about taking fish and chips to the next level.
0:11:21 > 0:11:22I suppose the big worry for me
0:11:22 > 0:11:26is how will that stand up in the heat of the contest
0:11:26 > 0:11:29against two fish and chip shops that are based on tradition?
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Who would have thought that fish and chips could be so diverse?
0:11:38 > 0:11:40I'm here in Brixham,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43one of the largest fishing ports in Britain,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46and one of the first modern trawlers was invented here
0:11:46 > 0:11:48in the late 18th century.
0:11:48 > 0:11:53And today over 100 boats still land their catch on its docks.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Where better to base our fish and chip contest?
0:11:57 > 0:12:02We've set up three kitchens right here on the harbour-side.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Arriving from Krispies in Devon are Tim and Kelly.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Am I getting lost?
0:12:07 > 0:12:11Dino, George and Sid have come from Papa's in Hull.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13If you need any help, let me know.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19Simon and his business partner Barry have travelled from Hook in London.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22We've got red onion, lemons... We've got it all.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Over the course of one day,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27chef Tom Kerridge will be judging them
0:12:27 > 0:12:28on three different tasks
0:12:28 > 0:12:32to test every aspect of their fast-food skills.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35It's definitely going to be our time to shine.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37And we'll do our best. As always.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39I'm itching to get behind the pans
0:12:39 > 0:12:42and start cooking some great fish and chips.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- Do our best.- Do our best, yeah. - And we want to win. So, yes.- Yeah.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50Every Friday, one in five meals eaten outside of the home
0:12:50 > 0:12:52is from a fish and chip shop.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54When we stand in that takeaway queue,
0:12:54 > 0:12:58we want our food to arrive perfectly cooked every time.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01And we want it served to us fast.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04So our first task is about speed.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Which of our takeaway cooks can prepare and dish up
0:13:07 > 0:13:10their bestselling fish and chips first?
0:13:11 > 0:13:16Fire up the fryers, let the fish supper fight commence.
0:13:22 > 0:13:23Are you all right, Barry, yeah?
0:13:23 > 0:13:26Yes. I'm going to need that machine to do the peas.
0:13:26 > 0:13:27Got about four minutes.
0:13:27 > 0:13:28- All right?- OK.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32Each team has seven customers to serve.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35It is a race to finish first
0:13:35 > 0:13:37but fast food shouldn't mean bad food.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40We want to test that the quality is kept high,
0:13:40 > 0:13:42even when they're pushing out those orders.
0:13:42 > 0:13:43Oh, my goodness me.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45Quickly, quickly, quickly!
0:13:45 > 0:13:51In this task, dad Sid is standing in for Papa's champion fryer, Dino.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54- What's happened? - I think I've broke my wrist.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56The old man, is he going to cope with the pace?
0:13:56 > 0:13:58That's the thing, he might cope for about ten minutes,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01then need to sit down for ten minutes.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04It took me seven hours to be here.
0:14:04 > 0:14:05It needs to be good.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Slow and steady, and let's get prepped and everything ready
0:14:09 > 0:14:10so that customers are not waiting,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13because I want to make sure they're not waiting for anything.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Like chip shops across the country,
0:14:15 > 0:14:17Kelly is weighing her cod into portions
0:14:17 > 0:14:19before calling for her first customer.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22Let's concentrate on what we're doing, not what they're doing.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24Otherwise you'll get carried away.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28Sid and George are going with a very different strategy.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30I'm going to get an order.
0:14:30 > 0:14:31Open for business!
0:14:32 > 0:14:36- How are they open for business already?- Ready?
0:14:36 > 0:14:37Hi, can I have my first order?
0:14:37 > 0:14:41So, Sid and George have employed a really interesting tactic here.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Everyone else is trying to get their prep work ready
0:14:43 > 0:14:45before they take an order.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Sid and George are taking orders and prepping at the same time.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Can I have a small fish, please, a regular fish...?
0:14:50 > 0:14:51And if they get it right,
0:14:51 > 0:14:53then it means they're going to do everything,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56I suppose, double-time, double quickly.
0:14:56 > 0:14:57Going to be a couple of minutes, OK?
0:14:57 > 0:15:00- Lovely, thanks. - You having salt and vinegar?
0:15:00 > 0:15:03- Yeah.- Is there any other way?
0:15:03 > 0:15:06That batter is my grandad's own recipe.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07We've been using it for 30 years.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Come on! Come on, stop talking.
0:15:09 > 0:15:10Stop talking, come on.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Get those chips ready.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14Can I have them? Where are they?
0:15:14 > 0:15:16In the rush to get ahead,
0:15:16 > 0:15:17Sid may have started frying
0:15:17 > 0:15:21before the oil has reached optimum temperature.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25No, no. Getting to me... One minute, one minute. Five seconds, George.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29Too cool and the oil will be absorbed by the potato,
0:15:29 > 0:15:30making it soggy.
0:15:30 > 0:15:35Too hot, and the outside will burn, leaving the inside undercooked.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37Oh, yeah, perfect.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Perfect. The fish on here, please.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43- OK, thank you. - You can't rush perfection, eh?
0:15:43 > 0:15:46- Just admiring the view. - Well, it is a great view.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Did you mean the beach, or me?
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Sid and George might be racing ahead.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56But to make sure our cooks don't sacrifice quality,
0:15:56 > 0:16:00Tom is joined in judging by local fish restauranteur Mitch Tonks.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Listen, there's nowhere to hide with fish and chips.
0:16:03 > 0:16:04There are so many elements to get right.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07You've got to have good potatoes, you've got to have great fish.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09You've got to have well-made batter.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11It's bringing all of that together at the same time,
0:16:11 > 0:16:14hundreds and hundreds of times a night.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16And that is what makes great fish and chips.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18Moment, please.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Is my medium fish ready?
0:16:20 > 0:16:22Small one? There you go, in there.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25And...having curry sauce on the chips, yeah?
0:16:25 > 0:16:26There you go, darling.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28- Oh!- Enjoy your meal.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30Looks amazing, thanks very much.
0:16:30 > 0:16:31Next order, thank you!
0:16:31 > 0:16:32Are you having curry sauce?
0:16:32 > 0:16:35- How are they even doing that? - I don't know. I don't know.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39Simon and Barry,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42are you slightly worried you haven't taken your first order?
0:16:42 > 0:16:43No, I'm not too worried.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45- No?- This is how we do it.
0:16:45 > 0:16:46Slow and steady.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48Slow and steady wins the race.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52But it is a speed test, so slow isn't the name of the game.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54I'm not one willing to compromise on quality.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56I'm going to do it exactly how I do it in the restaurant.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58I'm going to give all the customers
0:16:58 > 0:17:00the best fish and chips they could possibly have from me.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02And that's key, that's what we're all about.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Simon's covering freshly caught pollock with panko breadcrumbs,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09made from bread without crusts
0:17:09 > 0:17:11so the coating is delicate and crispy.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Yeah, yeah, we've got to be ready to go now.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17But none of his customers have yet to get a taste of it.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19Have you got another patty?
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Yes, two patties is in the fryer, sir.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23- Patty on.- OK. How's the fish?
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Fish is nearly done.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28Sid's already onto his second customer.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30I need one more medium.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33- Perfect, that's fine.- Oh... - No, no, no. Please.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36I trust his judgment.
0:17:36 > 0:17:37No rushing, no rushing, please.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39I'm very confident.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Look at that.
0:17:41 > 0:17:42Absolutely gorgeous.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Tim and Kelly are finally ready
0:17:49 > 0:17:51to get their battered chips and fried cod
0:17:51 > 0:17:53to their first customer.
0:17:53 > 0:17:55Right, your small fish are on the right.
0:17:55 > 0:17:56Your large fish are on the left.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59But they've got a lot of catching up to do.
0:17:59 > 0:18:00OK, here we go.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04Sid and George are storming ahead with their fourth order.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07Thank you, sir. Enjoy your meal.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09- Hiya!- Hi!
0:18:09 > 0:18:10How can I help you?
0:18:10 > 0:18:12OK, we're ready for business.
0:18:12 > 0:18:13Open for business!
0:18:13 > 0:18:17Finally, Tim and Kelly have asked for their first order.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19One small fish...
0:18:19 > 0:18:22OK. Just clear that in there, and start getting orders in.
0:18:22 > 0:18:23Can we get an order, please?
0:18:23 > 0:18:25Simon's not far behind them.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28- How's it going?- Very good, thanks. Very good. We're up against it.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30So what can we get you?
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Chuck them in there, chuck them in there.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36There we go, my lovely. I hope that's OK for you.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40Tim and Kelly are now onto their second customer.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42No worries. It will just be a few minutes for you, is that OK?
0:18:42 > 0:18:44- Yeah, that's fine.- Lovely.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Sid and George now have only two orders remaining.
0:18:57 > 0:18:58Come on, come on. Stop talking.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00No time to talk. Come on!
0:19:00 > 0:19:04- Can I have the next order, please?- Next order, please!
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Can I have three small fish...?
0:19:06 > 0:19:07What do I need?
0:19:07 > 0:19:08Two small, one regular.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10You go. Go, go, go, go.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14Three small, two regular. As soon as you can, get them out.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16There's your big and your small.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18OK, can I get another order, please?
0:19:18 > 0:19:19Next order, please?
0:19:19 > 0:19:20Oh, a familiar face!
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Are you ready for your last order?
0:19:23 > 0:19:25- Is it a big one?- It's a big one!
0:19:25 > 0:19:26OK, hit us with it, Cherry.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28One small fish.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30- One small.- One regular fish. - One regular.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33- One chips.- Less chips, less chips.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Can we get another order, please?
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Curry sauce!
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Stop cooking, please.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47That is it, that is it, that is it.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50It was a valiant effort by the other teams,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54but they just couldn't close the lead Sid and George opened up.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Thank you very much, everybody.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00Thank you. I'm afraid you have to put your panko breadcrumbs down.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Hey, Simon and Barry. A little bit behind schedule.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Yeah, a bit behind schedule. But we think everything that went out
0:20:11 > 0:20:13was the highest quality it could possibly be,
0:20:13 > 0:20:15- and that's the most important for us.- OK.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18The judges need to check whether our cooks have managed to maintain
0:20:18 > 0:20:21high standards under pressure.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Pollock is not the best tasting of fish, but I think when it's
0:20:24 > 0:20:26this big and cooked like this, lovely, crisp outside...
0:20:26 > 0:20:27Beautiful big flakes.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29The piece of fish is absolutely amazing.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31You can tell the standard, the quality of it.
0:20:31 > 0:20:32Now these chips...
0:20:34 > 0:20:36- Skin on.- Yeah.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Red potato. So it's going to be soft in the middle.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42- Flavour's good.- This is great.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45- I agree.- Thank you, guys. Appreciate it.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47Tim and Kelly, traditional fish and chips.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49- Yeah.- Oh, look.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58- Fabulous.- This is what you recognise as a southern fish and chip guy.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00I love cod.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02Still very crispy.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06Really nice. Lovely, white fish.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09And then the chips, I like what you've done here,
0:21:09 > 0:21:12putting them in a batter.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14You're going to get a crispy outside.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20- It's good.- Good. - Well done, well done, well done.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22Thank you very much. Thank you.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25Well done, boys. Cracked through those orders really well.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27For an old man, you kept up with it.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29- Still got it!- Still got it.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33Sid and George won the race, but they will only win the task
0:21:33 > 0:21:37if their final order is as high-quality as their first.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41- Nice batter. - That batter's fantastic.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Really thin, really, really crispy.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Even though you were so quick with this,
0:21:46 > 0:21:49the first portion of fish and chips that we tried,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51- this last one is equally as good. - Yeah, it's great.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54Really, really good. That's proper skill.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- Thank you very much.- Really good. - Thank you, guys. Thank you.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03Can I have a little taste, guys?
0:22:03 > 0:22:06- Mmm!- Battered chips.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08Battered chips? Oh, look at that one!
0:22:08 > 0:22:09I know.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Harder work than I imagined it to be.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Yeah, we shouldn't have done so much prep. We should have just gone
0:22:14 > 0:22:17- straight in and prepped as we went along, I think.- Yeah, definitely.
0:22:17 > 0:22:18I can't... They were so quick!
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- Were you shocked? - Yeah, I was very shocked.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23Well, we wouldn't have done it any differently, you know?
0:22:23 > 0:22:25That said, I wish we were quicker.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27I wish you were quicker!
0:22:31 > 0:22:33- Thank you very much, Dino. - Thank you very much.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35- You can have a couple of days off now.- I know! I can take a day off.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- Felt amazing, didn't it? - You're amazing.
0:22:38 > 0:22:42I'm going on holiday! After today, definitely, I'm going on holiday.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Almost half of all of the fish we eat outside the home
0:22:49 > 0:22:51is bought with a side of chips.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Nowhere else in the world are these ingredients
0:22:56 > 0:22:58so lovingly bound together.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01What's strawberries without cream?
0:23:01 > 0:23:02Morecambe without Wise?
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Fish without chips?
0:23:04 > 0:23:07But when did we fall in love with chips?
0:23:15 > 0:23:17To find out, I've come to Lincolnshire...
0:23:19 > 0:23:23..one of the largest growers of potatoes in the UK.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33As a nation, we buy nearly 2.5 million tonnes of potatoes a year.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37And a quarter of those are chips.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44To find out why chips became a central part of our diet,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48I've enlisted the help of food historian Polly Russell.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Who do we have to thank for the invention of chips?
0:23:52 > 0:23:55What genius gave us that gift?
0:23:55 > 0:23:57I think we should thank the Victorians, really,
0:23:57 > 0:24:01because the chip becomes popularised during the Industrial Revolution.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07Britain was transformed by the Industrial Revolution.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10As people left the land to work in factories,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13food started to be eaten outside the home.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16What was the main bulk of what people were eating?
0:24:16 > 0:24:17So, historically,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20bread has really formed the mainstay of most people's diet.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23And, also, oats as well, in certain parts of the country.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25But, by the Industrial Revolution,
0:24:25 > 0:24:29the potato becomes more and more significant in people's diet.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34It was usual for many people to work 14 hours a day,
0:24:34 > 0:24:36six days a week in the new factories.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40And they needed food that would keep them fuelled.
0:24:40 > 0:24:44Whereas today we need, if you're a woman, about 2,000 calories a day.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46If you're a man, 2,500 calories.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48If you're doing hard, physical labour,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51you need between 3,000 and 5,000 calories a day.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Every single day?
0:24:53 > 0:24:57We know that in 1881, the average consumption of potatoes per week,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00per person was 6kg.
0:25:00 > 0:25:01Let me show you how much that is.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07That...is a lot of potatoes.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12Yeah, so per week, eating this volume of potatoes by the 1880s.
0:25:12 > 0:25:16But often people had very limited cooking equipment,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18had very limited access to fuel.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20They were very poor, they had limited time.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23So, fairly quickly potatoes start to be sold on the streets,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26either boiled, or, indeed, roasted, or baked.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28By the 1860s, 1870s,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31you start to see people inventing machines
0:25:31 > 0:25:33that allow you to fry potatoes.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36And that's really where the chip comes into its own,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38because not only does it taste delicious,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41it's being sold and it's available on the streets.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44So it's convenient and it's inexpensive,
0:25:44 > 0:25:46but it's also bulk full of calories.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49And, so, the chip really fuels the Industrial Revolution.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53So, this country was built on chips?
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Chips were certainly in the building blocks of this nation.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00At the same time chips were taking off,
0:26:00 > 0:26:03Jewish immigrants began selling their fried fish
0:26:03 > 0:26:05separately from their street stalls.
0:26:06 > 0:26:12So, when did our favourite culinary couple come together as one dish?
0:26:16 > 0:26:19Well, there's a claim that it happened in London.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22So, I'm going to meet up with two East Enders.
0:26:24 > 0:26:25Pat Newland and Salih Sadik
0:26:25 > 0:26:30started out working in Jewish fish and chip shops over 60 years ago.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35Do you remember the first fish and chip shop?
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Yeah, I was a little boy.
0:26:37 > 0:26:41And there was a shop in Old Ford Road called Malin's.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45We used to buy fish and chips from there.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48The great-great-grandfather of that man was the man
0:26:48 > 0:26:51who brought fish and chips to England.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54His name was Joseph Malin and he was a Romanian Jew.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58How did he work out to put those two things together?
0:26:58 > 0:27:01I believe there was a shortage of fish, or something like that,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04at one time. And so he sold chips in the shop.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08And, then, when the fish became plentiful again,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10the people came back and they wanted fish and chips.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14- Right.- That's how I understand it.
0:27:14 > 0:27:19Pat and Salih have witnessed the industry grow since the 1950s.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23What was the atmosphere like on a Friday in the fish and chip shop?
0:27:23 > 0:27:27Well, we used to have a queue there, nearly half a mile.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30- Oh, my goodness.- I'm not joking. - Yeah, it was.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34Not like the queues today. No-one knows anybody.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36They all knew each other. So they'd all be talking,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39rabbiting about this and rabbiting about that, you know?
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- So it was a real party?- Yeah.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46- That's your broken one. - Oh, that's yours, Jeffrey.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52What began as a traditional immigrant dish
0:27:52 > 0:27:55combined with the humble food of the workers
0:27:55 > 0:27:58became a symbol of our country the world over
0:27:58 > 0:28:01and fed the memories of millions.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12SHIP'S HORN BLARES
0:28:15 > 0:28:20Today, 85% of the fish we eat from chippies is cod or haddock.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25But those early fish and chip shops had to rely on whatever was landed
0:28:25 > 0:28:27each morning in ports like Brixham.
0:28:27 > 0:28:28BELL RINGS
0:28:30 > 0:28:33HE AUCTIONS FISH
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Our judge and local restauranteur Mitch Tonks
0:28:37 > 0:28:40sources all his fish here at the local market.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43What's going on here? There's a bustle of energy.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45Well, this is where the whole supply chain starts.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48So, the fishing boats would have been landing 24/7.
0:28:48 > 0:28:49This is the auction hall.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51So, every morning here, five days a week,
0:28:51 > 0:28:54you've got buyers from all over the country representing supermarkets,
0:28:54 > 0:28:56restaurants, wholesalers,
0:28:56 > 0:28:58all bidding to buy the fish that's landed.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03There are over 40 varieties of fish landed here every day.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07It's a perfect place to test our teams' knowledge
0:29:07 > 0:29:08of this vital raw ingredient.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11Sole, monkfish, skate wing...
0:29:11 > 0:29:15This is the first time any of our cooks have been to an auction.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17..27, 30. 30, 40...
0:29:17 > 0:29:21Most chippies have their fish delivered to their shop
0:29:21 > 0:29:22pre-filleted.
0:29:22 > 0:29:2520 kilos, £8.
0:29:25 > 0:29:26Tell me what you're looking for.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28I'm looking for some amazing, fresh cod.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30You've come to the right place.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33Tim uses Icelandic cod.
0:29:33 > 0:29:38And, like 95% of fish we get from our chippies, it's frozen.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40It's frozen at sea on the boats.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43They fillet it, skin it and freeze it within four hours.
0:29:43 > 0:29:44It locks in the freshness,
0:29:44 > 0:29:45and as soon as you've defrosted it
0:29:45 > 0:29:47it's as fresh as it was on the boats.
0:29:49 > 0:29:54Nearly a third of all white fish eaten in the UK is from a chippy.
0:29:54 > 0:29:574.10 by Brixham. 4.20. 4.20?
0:29:57 > 0:30:01Dino uses fresh fish landed in Grimsby,
0:30:01 > 0:30:03two miles away from his shop.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07Unlike the Icelandic trawlers that stay at sea for weeks,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10this fish is caught by day boat.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13Our fish comes in daily.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15It's very fresh.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18And great fillets of white fish.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22Haddock like this has historically been more plentiful
0:30:22 > 0:30:25in the North Sea, which may explain why Northerners
0:30:25 > 0:30:27developed a preference for it.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32Thank you very much. Good calling.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35Was that a black bream? Was that a...? That's local Cornish?
0:30:35 > 0:30:39- That's a black bream, yeah. - Oh, excellent, brilliant.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43The UK lands more fish than any other country in Europe,
0:30:43 > 0:30:44apart from Spain.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Simon chooses fresh fish caught in Cornwall.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51And, unusually, his fish arrives whole and needs to be filleted.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56OK, so what have we got? Are there any other flatfish there?
0:30:56 > 0:30:58Any plaice, or anything like that?
0:30:58 > 0:31:02Fish is all done at auction, so if it's been a busy weekend,
0:31:02 > 0:31:04everyone's looking for fish, so the price goes up
0:31:04 > 0:31:07and getting cod at a higher price than I'd normally like,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10but you kind of have to take the rough with the smooth.
0:31:10 > 0:31:11And then what can you do me for 1.70?
0:31:11 > 0:31:13'You really need to know what you're getting.'
0:31:13 > 0:31:16You really need to know what to ask for. You really need to
0:31:16 > 0:31:18push these guys. You don't get off the phone until you get
0:31:18 > 0:31:19what you want, really, you know?
0:31:19 > 0:31:21Is that ours, then, is it?
0:31:21 > 0:31:24- That's yours.- Great stuff, thank you very much.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30All three of our cooks source their fish differently.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33But how much do they really know?
0:31:33 > 0:31:35Mitch here is our fish master.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38And today he's going to be testing your knowledge.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41I want to see how well you can select fresh fish,
0:31:41 > 0:31:43and to see whether you know your species.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46So, I'm going to call a fish name, and I want you to hold it up.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48I'm going to tell you if you've got it right or wrong.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51And then I want you to lay it straight down on the ice.
0:31:51 > 0:31:52So, shall we kick off?
0:31:52 > 0:31:55I want to know your red mullets.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59- Dig deep.- 'Dino grew up in his family chippy...'
0:31:59 > 0:32:01Oh, no. Don't lose it.
0:32:01 > 0:32:04'..but only joined the business four years ago after giving up
0:32:04 > 0:32:07- 'his career as a solicitor.' - That was an obvious one, right?
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Because it's red.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11So let's lay the fish down. That was a nice, easy one.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13Give us some monkfish.
0:32:16 > 0:32:17OK, right. Wrong.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21How about a megrim sole?
0:32:21 > 0:32:23One, two, three. Out they come.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27OK. Don't worry, Dino.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29No left, no right.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31- Dino, you've got...- I thought it was a megrim sole, obviously.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34- Not a megrim sole.- This is getting embarrassing, isn't it?
0:32:34 > 0:32:37It's not embarrassing, Dino. This is how we get it. Let's have a cod.
0:32:40 > 0:32:41OK, you've done...
0:32:41 > 0:32:42SHE LAUGHS
0:32:42 > 0:32:45- Don't let it get away. - Don't let it get away.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47'Dino has got two species wrong,
0:32:47 > 0:32:51'but Simon and Tim have guessed all their fish correctly so far.'
0:32:51 > 0:32:54So now we're going to go for brill.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57- Oh, no.- One, two, three, pick a fish up.
0:32:57 > 0:32:58OK, wrong, wrong, right.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Fantastic. That is one of the prime fish for frying.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05'Simon's ahead, but there is one more test.'
0:33:05 > 0:33:07This fish wasn't all landed today.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10And we all know that the key to a great plate of seafood,
0:33:10 > 0:33:12however you cook it, is freshness.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14So, I want you, from left to right,
0:33:14 > 0:33:19to lay out the freshest fish from good to bad.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23Fish isn't necessarily sold fresh off the boat.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26It could come from a trawler that's been out for three to four days.
0:33:26 > 0:33:30So, by the time it gets to you, it may be older than you think.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32You know, for me, fish is obviously fresh.
0:33:32 > 0:33:35When you look at it, it should look like it's just come from the sea.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37It should be slimy. You know, beautifully slimy.
0:33:37 > 0:33:42'A perfect fresh fish should have bright, round eyes,
0:33:42 > 0:33:44'red gills,
0:33:44 > 0:33:49'be firm to the touch and, surprisingly, not smell of fish.'
0:33:49 > 0:33:52I want you to have a smell. It's not fishy.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55- It's very early in the morning for this.- You can't smell fish.
0:33:55 > 0:33:56What you can smell is the sea.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59And, in a couple of days' time, that will all smell fishy,
0:33:59 > 0:34:01that terrible fishy smell that we all think it smells like,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03but it doesn't really.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07Let me take you through.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10Simon, that's pretty good. Look at those eyes, lovely.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13Really, those gills are not bad.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15Still a bit of blood in them. Really good.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17Dino, take me through, where's your freshest fish?
0:34:17 > 0:34:19- The freshest is over here. - So you've gone for here.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21- You've gone for that sea trout? - Yeah.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23Look at those great gills, good colour.
0:34:23 > 0:34:24Pretty good job there. And Tim.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27Yeah, I went for my cod.
0:34:27 > 0:34:28Nice, bright eyes.
0:34:28 > 0:34:29And there's an interesting one,
0:34:29 > 0:34:31cos all these cod came from the same box.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35Yes, cos the difference between this cod and this cod here,
0:34:35 > 0:34:36you can really tell the difference.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39That one just looks like it's been around a while,
0:34:39 > 0:34:41- had a bit of a party.- Yeah, he has.
0:34:41 > 0:34:43- He's partied out. - Partied out, that one.
0:34:43 > 0:34:46But you know what would have happened is it's graded in sizes
0:34:46 > 0:34:49on the market, so that all the cod was at the same size in one box,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52but it's likely this one was caught on the last day of the trip
0:34:52 > 0:34:55and this one was probably caught on the first day of the trip.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58You did very well on selecting that cod above everything else.
0:34:58 > 0:34:59That was very good work.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01Well done, everyone.
0:35:01 > 0:35:02Mitch, who impressed you the most?
0:35:02 > 0:35:05Well, it was a really, really good challenge, guys.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07Very interesting to see your knowledge.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09For me, the aficionado in this challenge is Simon.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Well done, well done.
0:35:14 > 0:35:15Af-fish-ionado.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17- Yeah.- Oh, my God, that's the worst.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23In the past, Britain has depended on fishermen landing catch
0:35:23 > 0:35:26at ports like Brixham to sustain us.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30And fish and chips were a staple through our two world wars.
0:35:33 > 0:35:38Winston Churchill even called them his good companions.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44I've come to Grimsby to find out how a takeaway dinner
0:35:44 > 0:35:47won the heart of our wartime leader
0:35:47 > 0:35:49and perhaps even the war itself.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54At the outbreak of World War II,
0:35:54 > 0:35:57Britain imported two thirds of its food.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01With the sea supply routes under attack by Germans,
0:36:01 > 0:36:05the government had no option but to introduce food rationing.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09Rationing will give everyone, rich and poor alike,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12an equal share of all that's going.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15The best way you can help is by rationing yourselves.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20The public were encouraged to embrace home-grown foods,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23like potatoes, that could easily be harvested.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26And fish and chips were left off the ration books.
0:36:30 > 0:36:32The chip shop became a home front favourite,
0:36:32 > 0:36:34and kept the nation nourished.
0:36:34 > 0:36:39But our fishermen faced deadly conditions to keep the country fed.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44I've come to meet former trawlerman and historian Dennis Avery
0:36:44 > 0:36:49to discover one of the greatest threats to our wartime supply
0:36:49 > 0:36:51of food - sea mines.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56In here is an artificial mine.
0:36:56 > 0:37:01But that gives you an actual idea of what the size of it would be.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04'Mines were one of the most savage weapons of the war.'
0:37:09 > 0:37:14You're out at sea, it's dark, stormy, maybe foggy.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17And you're trying to avoid those.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Yeah. But you've got to imagine that would be anchored to the seabed
0:37:20 > 0:37:22on a wire. It wasn't floating on the surface.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24The only time you would see one, maybe,
0:37:24 > 0:37:28is if you were in bad weather and a trough in the waves,
0:37:28 > 0:37:30you might actually see it then.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32But, otherwise, you wouldn't see it.
0:37:34 > 0:37:39Hitler's forces hid deadly mines in the waters surrounding Britain.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43But many fishermen were actually recruited to seek them out.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47There were 400 trawlers in Grimsby.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50200 of them would have been recruited
0:37:50 > 0:37:52into the Navy as minesweepers.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55The other 200 would still carry on fishing.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58So, half the fleet were feeding the country.
0:37:58 > 0:37:59- Yeah.- And the other half...
0:37:59 > 0:38:01- were keeping them safe. - Keeping the waters safe.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Yeah. And my grandfather,
0:38:03 > 0:38:06he was a trawler skipper at the beginning of the war.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09And he got commandeered into the Navy.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12He became... Anybody with a skipper's ticket
0:38:12 > 0:38:14became a lieutenant commander,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17which means you're the captain of a minesweeper.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24Grimsby became one of the most important minesweeping bases
0:38:24 > 0:38:25in the country.
0:38:25 > 0:38:30Minesweepers had a special sweep with a serrated wire on.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33And when it came to a mine, it would cut the wire on the mine,
0:38:33 > 0:38:35and the mine would bob up to the surface.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37And then they would sink it with gunfire.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40- So they would shoot the mine?- Yeah.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47They were born to it. I mean, if you took a chap
0:38:47 > 0:38:50that's just been brought into the Navy and put in the North Sea,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53he probably wouldn't be able to stand up for the first
0:38:53 > 0:38:57two or three weeks, whereas the fishermen could just get on with it.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59They were used to it. Tough as nails.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02But also the local fishermen knew
0:39:02 > 0:39:05all the areas like the back of their hand.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11Throughout the war, over 60,000 men
0:39:11 > 0:39:14were drafted into the minesweeping effort.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16- ANNOUNCER ON NEWSREEL:- 'Theirs is a task of infinite peril,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19'never knowing when death may strike.'
0:39:19 > 0:39:23It is estimated that up to 14,500 lost their lives.
0:39:24 > 0:39:29This decommissioned trawler boat is now a dedicated museum.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32Churchill was so indebted to those fishermen
0:39:32 > 0:39:36that, after the war, he wrote them a letter thanking them.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39"Now that Nazi Germany has been defeated,
0:39:39 > 0:39:43"I wish to send to you all on behalf of His Majesty's Government
0:39:43 > 0:39:45"a message of thanks and gratitude.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49"The work you do is hard and dangerous.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52"You have sailed in many seas and all weathers,
0:39:52 > 0:39:54"and you have swept the seas
0:39:54 > 0:39:59"free of over 16,000 mines since the war began.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03"This work could not be done without loss, and we all mourn..."
0:40:03 > 0:40:04Oh, sorry.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12"..we all mourn all who have died
0:40:12 > 0:40:16"and over 250 gallant ships sunk on duty."
0:40:28 > 0:40:31I think the people who were doing this...
0:40:32 > 0:40:36..I imagine to them it was terrifying, and it's day after day,
0:40:36 > 0:40:38and they're out at sea away from their families.
0:40:40 > 0:40:41These men are so young.
0:40:43 > 0:40:44I mean, look at them.
0:40:46 > 0:40:48I had no idea that the story of fish and chips...
0:40:49 > 0:40:52..was so emotional.
0:40:52 > 0:40:55But it's such a deep part of British history.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00"No work has been more vital than yours.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02"No work has been done better.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05"The ports were kept open and Britain breathes.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08"The nation once again is proud of you."
0:41:11 > 0:41:14RADIO STATIC
0:41:18 > 0:41:19Back in Brixham,
0:41:19 > 0:41:24it wouldn't be a day at the British seaside without a spot of rain.
0:41:25 > 0:41:26Proper British weather, isn't it?
0:41:26 > 0:41:28It's the best complement to fish and chips.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31Yes! Definitely.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33Fish and chips by the seaside in the rain.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35It's how it should be done.
0:41:36 > 0:41:37For our three chippies,
0:41:37 > 0:41:41it's time to get ready for the third and final round.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Dino is replacing dad Sid, pairing up with brother George.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48It's not a speed round, this one. It's not a race.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53Fish and chips are as traditional as the changing of the guard.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56But times move on and so do tastes.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58So, in this final test,
0:41:58 > 0:42:02we're asking our cooks to invent a brand-new dish.
0:42:02 > 0:42:03We want to move things forward.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05We want to take fish and chips to the next level,
0:42:05 > 0:42:07changing the different types of fish,
0:42:07 > 0:42:09changing the different coatings,
0:42:09 > 0:42:11changing the different flavourings that go with it.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15It's all good. As long as the heart and soul and the tradition is there,
0:42:15 > 0:42:16that you have fish and chips,
0:42:16 > 0:42:18there's nothing wrong with evolution.
0:42:20 > 0:42:25Guys, you now have 45 minutes to reinvent fish and chips.
0:42:25 > 0:42:26Get cooking!
0:42:29 > 0:42:32- The peas are on. You happy with that?- Yeah.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35They'll be judged on how inventive they can be,
0:42:35 > 0:42:36as well as great taste.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38- Do you have any more lemon?- Yeah.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42And they need to serve up five identical portions
0:42:42 > 0:42:43in just 45 minutes.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Which ones are you using for grilled? Left or right?
0:42:48 > 0:42:49Those ones.
0:42:49 > 0:42:52Tim and Kelly haven't won any of the tasks so far.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55So this is their last chance to catch up.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58- How are we doing, Tim and Kelly? Are you all right?- Yeah, good.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01- Are you bossing him around?- More like the other way at the moment!
0:43:01 > 0:43:04We're taking a turn. I don't know what's going on.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06I don't like it!
0:43:06 > 0:43:07To reinvent fish and chips,
0:43:07 > 0:43:11Tim and Kelly are making cod three ways.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14The first is pan-fried with salt and pepper.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18The second will be coated in spicy breadcrumbs.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20And the third dipped in batter,
0:43:20 > 0:43:22infused with fizzy wine.
0:43:23 > 0:43:25This is a local sparkling wine from
0:43:25 > 0:43:28literally up the road from where our shop is.
0:43:28 > 0:43:32The carbonated wine makes it lighter and makes the batter spike up more.
0:43:32 > 0:43:34It looks more attractive.
0:43:34 > 0:43:35Yes, just a lighter batter.
0:43:38 > 0:43:42Brothers Dino and George ran away with the speed task,
0:43:42 > 0:43:45but came last when they were tested on their knowledge of fish.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49Everything will depend on this final round.
0:43:49 > 0:43:50We really want to win this.
0:43:50 > 0:43:52This is...this is really important to us.
0:43:52 > 0:43:56We came away from really respected careers, a solicitor and a doctor.
0:43:56 > 0:44:01You know, we want to prove to people that we made the right decision.
0:44:01 > 0:44:04They're turning to their family background
0:44:04 > 0:44:07to create a Cypriot-inspired menu.
0:44:07 > 0:44:10Any black pepper? Tablespoon black pepper.
0:44:10 > 0:44:12- Tablespoon.- Yeah.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14I'm going to put a tiny bit more garlic in.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16- Careful.- I know.
0:44:17 > 0:44:19We're going to draw on our heritage.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21All really nice Mediterranean flavours.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23It's something that I think my mum would cook.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25It's something that my mum and dad would cook.
0:44:25 > 0:44:28It's a bit of a combination of our whole family, isn't it?
0:44:28 > 0:44:30For their Mediterranean twist on fish and chips,
0:44:30 > 0:44:34the boys are making a lemon and garlic marinated fillet
0:44:34 > 0:44:35of sea bream.
0:44:35 > 0:44:39They'll serve it with a fried Cypriot cheese.
0:44:39 > 0:44:40Halloumi, is that from your home?
0:44:40 > 0:44:43Yes, exactly. This is something that's drawing on our heritage.
0:44:43 > 0:44:46If you get it in the pan, we're going to have sesame seed halloumi.
0:44:46 > 0:44:48OK, well, I'll get out the way before Dino starts shouting at you
0:44:48 > 0:44:50anything more. I'll see you later.
0:44:53 > 0:44:56I think this is very much our round.
0:44:56 > 0:44:58You know, this is what we do in the restaurant every day.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02Simon's ethos is all about reinvention.
0:45:02 > 0:45:06He came last in the speed task but first in the knowledge test.
0:45:06 > 0:45:08So if he could work on his timings,
0:45:08 > 0:45:10he could win the overall competition.
0:45:10 > 0:45:12We wanted to do something quite English, you know?
0:45:12 > 0:45:15So, what's more English than curry?
0:45:16 > 0:45:20Simon's making a curry powder to flavour his sea bass,
0:45:20 > 0:45:24which will then be fried in a Japanese tempura batter.
0:45:24 > 0:45:26When we're making tempura batters,
0:45:26 > 0:45:28we try and infuse as much flavour in there as possible.
0:45:28 > 0:45:30So we use an awful lot
0:45:30 > 0:45:32of very finely grated lemon zest and lime zest.
0:45:32 > 0:45:35What that does is, as opposed to having just juice...
0:45:36 > 0:45:39..it means when you're biting into it, that zest really stays with you
0:45:39 > 0:45:41and you get real freshness from it.
0:45:42 > 0:45:43Sorry!
0:45:48 > 0:45:50Cooks, you have half an hour to go.
0:45:50 > 0:45:52Fry like demons, my friends.
0:45:52 > 0:45:55We're going to get everything out on time? Yeah, definitely.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58Tim's pan-frying his first piece of cod.
0:46:02 > 0:46:04Where did that come from?
0:46:04 > 0:46:05It's not doing very well.
0:46:07 > 0:46:09I ain't happy with that.
0:46:09 > 0:46:11You need a good covering of oil in the pan.
0:46:11 > 0:46:13It needs to be hot, but not smoking,
0:46:13 > 0:46:16otherwise that fish will catch and burn.
0:46:16 > 0:46:17It's stuck.
0:46:19 > 0:46:21It's fine. Don't panic.
0:46:21 > 0:46:23Do you want me to do anything?
0:46:24 > 0:46:25It's the pan.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28If you're not happy, get rid and cut some more.
0:46:28 > 0:46:31- It's the pan.- You've got to work with what you've got.
0:46:34 > 0:46:35I can't use the pan.
0:46:35 > 0:46:38Yeah, we're going to have to start again and put a bit more oil
0:46:38 > 0:46:40on the pan, and just hope for the best.
0:46:42 > 0:46:43It's OK, it's fine.
0:46:43 > 0:46:46- I can't use that pan.- You are going to have to use that pan,
0:46:46 > 0:46:48- because that's all you've got. - I think I messed up
0:46:48 > 0:46:51and we just need to do the other two pieces.
0:46:52 > 0:46:55We won't be able to do the grilled cod because it's stuck to
0:46:55 > 0:46:58the bottom of the pan. A bit gutted, but absolutely fine.
0:46:58 > 0:47:03Not being able to serve up all three pieces of fish could prove costly.
0:47:06 > 0:47:09- Where's the whisk?- Behind me.
0:47:09 > 0:47:10There.
0:47:11 > 0:47:12That's nice.
0:47:12 > 0:47:17For proud Cypriot dad Sid, handing over the reins to his sons...
0:47:17 > 0:47:18Keep on going, keep on going.
0:47:18 > 0:47:20..is sometimes easier said than done.
0:47:21 > 0:47:25- Careful.- You're in our feet now. You need to leave.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28If I don't win this round,
0:47:28 > 0:47:30he's going to forever rub it in my face that I let him down.
0:47:30 > 0:47:32I'll never work with him again.
0:47:33 > 0:47:36The boys want it so much. That's why I'm nervous.
0:47:39 > 0:47:42Cooks, you have 15 minutes remaining.
0:47:42 > 0:47:43They're not fine enough.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46Calm. It's not about speed.
0:47:46 > 0:47:47Calm.
0:47:47 > 0:47:49I think we're both really calm.
0:47:49 > 0:47:52It's been nice to prep and get ourselves ready
0:47:52 > 0:47:53and how we need to be.
0:47:53 > 0:47:55And I think that's when we come into our own - I hope!
0:47:59 > 0:48:02OK. Right, you've got eight minutes.
0:48:02 > 0:48:04Yeah, that's fine. It's fine.
0:48:04 > 0:48:06- No, because you've got to... - What have I got to do?
0:48:06 > 0:48:08George, put the halloumi in.
0:48:08 > 0:48:13The last part of the boys' menu is frying their Cypriot-style cheese.
0:48:13 > 0:48:16- Excuse me.- George will dip it in batter before coating it
0:48:16 > 0:48:18in sesame seeds.
0:48:18 > 0:48:20The halloumi's here.
0:48:20 > 0:48:22Have you sesame-seeded it?
0:48:22 > 0:48:24- Yeah.- Whack it in.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28Feeling a little bit of pressure on the time now.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32Probably need to get our fish in first, and then our chips in after.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35Although the other two teams are almost finished frying,
0:48:35 > 0:48:38Simon is only just getting started.
0:48:38 > 0:48:41So what we do here is coat the fish in the curry powder,
0:48:41 > 0:48:44then we're going to put it into this lime and coriander tempura.
0:48:44 > 0:48:47The lime and coriander is going to give it a really nice freshness.
0:48:47 > 0:48:50It will take usually about three to four minutes, depending on
0:48:50 > 0:48:51the thickness of the fish.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54Cooks, time flies when you're frying fish.
0:48:54 > 0:48:57You have five minutes left!
0:48:57 > 0:49:00- How are you doing? - Yeah, we're nearly done.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06- Five minutes, George, five minutes. - I need some more dry sesame.
0:49:06 > 0:49:08Dry sesame!
0:49:08 > 0:49:11- How are you getting on? - Everything's ready. Let's plate up.
0:49:15 > 0:49:16George, can you portion up, please?
0:49:16 > 0:49:20- Yeah.- It looks like George is struggling.
0:49:20 > 0:49:21He's not struggling, he's fine.
0:49:21 > 0:49:23Oh, he's fine? All right, then.
0:49:23 > 0:49:25George, that's enough halloumi.
0:49:25 > 0:49:27- Yeah, yeah, yeah. - That's enough, that's enough.
0:49:32 > 0:49:33With one fish ruined,
0:49:33 > 0:49:38Tim and Kelly are boxing up only two of their three pieces of cod.
0:49:38 > 0:49:40Let's just get rid of everything apart from
0:49:40 > 0:49:41what we need on the board.
0:49:41 > 0:49:45If five portions aren't plated up in the time limit,
0:49:45 > 0:49:46they will be penalised.
0:49:46 > 0:49:48Move, move, move.
0:49:50 > 0:49:52- Happy?- Yeah, happy with that. - Happy with that.
0:49:52 > 0:49:55- Looks good.- OK, so now, we're going to stop plating now.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59Cooks, that is time, please.
0:49:59 > 0:50:03- Cooks!- Yeah.- That is all the time you get.
0:50:03 > 0:50:05I can see you.
0:50:07 > 0:50:10- Can we not plate it up?- Are we not allowed to plate it up?
0:50:10 > 0:50:11That is all for now.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13Oh, OK.
0:50:17 > 0:50:19Caught me green-handed.
0:50:20 > 0:50:23Teams, it's the moment of truth.
0:50:23 > 0:50:26It's time for the judges to taste your reinventions.
0:50:27 > 0:50:30- How are we doing, Tim and Kelly? How did we get on?- Yeah, really well.
0:50:30 > 0:50:31OK, cod three ways.
0:50:31 > 0:50:32Mmm, not quite.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37Tim and Kelly have prepared cod two ways,
0:50:37 > 0:50:39one in chilli and breadcrumbs,
0:50:39 > 0:50:41and the other in a sparkling wine batter.
0:50:43 > 0:50:45Oh, my God. It's great, isn't it? You can really taste that batter.
0:50:45 > 0:50:47That's absolutely fantastic.
0:50:47 > 0:50:49That Prosecco flavour, you can really taste that.
0:50:49 > 0:50:52- It's got the acidity in.- Yeah. - And it works so well with fish.
0:50:52 > 0:50:54Cos you imagine fish, it goes with white wine, the acidity, lemon,
0:50:54 > 0:50:57that sort of thing. And you've got it all wrapped into a batter.
0:50:57 > 0:50:59I think that's amazing. I do think that's great.
0:50:59 > 0:51:00Then, here, the breaded one.
0:51:00 > 0:51:03A little bit of chilli in there just to give it a bit of a kick.
0:51:03 > 0:51:04And the pepper.
0:51:05 > 0:51:08Tastes delicious. Very, very nice.
0:51:08 > 0:51:10Those two pieces I think were amazing.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12Well done, guys. Well done, well done, well done.
0:51:12 > 0:51:14APPLAUSE
0:51:14 > 0:51:16- OK, Dino and George. How are you doing?- Hello.
0:51:16 > 0:51:18Good, yeah, we're happy.
0:51:18 > 0:51:19We're really happy.
0:51:19 > 0:51:22Dino and George have made Mediterranean-style sea bream
0:51:22 > 0:51:25infused with lemon, garlic and herbs.
0:51:25 > 0:51:28It's served with fried cheese, drizzled with honey.
0:51:28 > 0:51:31The smell that comes from that bream is lovely.
0:51:31 > 0:51:34And this wonderful, crispy, spiky batter on the top.
0:51:34 > 0:51:36Yeah, we like it to be spiky.
0:51:37 > 0:51:39I think that, as a piece of fish, beautiful.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42It's great. Everything about it is Mediterranean.
0:51:42 > 0:51:44And I love that. You've captured it all in a mouthful.
0:51:44 > 0:51:46- It's lovely.- Lastly... - This is a little treat.
0:51:46 > 0:51:49It's very lightly battered halloumi,
0:51:49 > 0:51:52with sesame seed and drizzled with honey.
0:51:54 > 0:51:56I'm just trying to see what relevance it has
0:51:56 > 0:51:59with fish and chips. But that sea bream, they really do hit
0:51:59 > 0:52:01the brief for me. I think they're fantastic.
0:52:01 > 0:52:03- Well done.- Thank you so much. - Nice work.- Cheers, guys.
0:52:07 > 0:52:09- Boys, how did we do? - Yeah, really good.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11Really happy with everything we've done.
0:52:11 > 0:52:13So did you manage to finish all the elements?
0:52:13 > 0:52:16- Yes.- Yeah, absolutely.- But not actually finish plating it up
0:52:16 > 0:52:20- and ready to be sent out?- Pretty close.- Just a whisker away. OK.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22For Simon's twist on the classic,
0:52:22 > 0:52:25he's coated a curried fillet of sea bass
0:52:25 > 0:52:28with a lime and coriander flavoured batter.
0:52:28 > 0:52:31So this batter is still very nice and crispy, we can see.
0:52:31 > 0:52:34Then we'll crack it open. You can still hear the crack.
0:52:35 > 0:52:37That amazing piece of white fish.
0:52:37 > 0:52:40A beautiful bit of line-caught bass from around here, Mitch.
0:52:40 > 0:52:43Perfect. One of the best fish in the sea. I mean, look at it, you know?
0:52:43 > 0:52:46The batter is absolutely fantastic.
0:52:46 > 0:52:49The curry powder, I think it's quite strong.
0:52:49 > 0:52:52I do think it's maybe a little overpowering.
0:52:52 > 0:52:57A lush flavour. Maybe should just be toned down just a little.
0:52:57 > 0:52:58Let the fish sing.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01But a reinvention of fish and chips - this is one hell of a job.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05It feels so far from fish and chips, but it still has the same heritage,
0:53:05 > 0:53:06and heart and soul. Well done.
0:53:06 > 0:53:08Thank you.
0:53:14 > 0:53:18An incredible day of frying, through the sun and the rain.
0:53:18 > 0:53:22But Tim and Kelly only made two out of their three dishes.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25And chef Simon didn't serve up on time.
0:53:25 > 0:53:27And that could well count against them
0:53:27 > 0:53:30as the judges decide the overall winner.
0:53:30 > 0:53:32So, Mitch, fish and chips.
0:53:32 > 0:53:35Amazing British takeaway food done at its best today.
0:53:35 > 0:53:37It was, it was really, really great stuff, I agree.
0:53:37 > 0:53:41First off, let's talk about Simon. That piece of sea bass that he used.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43- Unbelievable.- It was unbelievable, it really was.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45One of his biggest problems, though,
0:53:45 > 0:53:47is that he didn't get it done in time. He didn't get it into
0:53:47 > 0:53:50the takeaway containers for us to see as a takeaway dish.
0:53:50 > 0:53:51He just had it sat around.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53And then also in the speed test.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56We were tasting the first one as Sid was finishing the last.
0:53:56 > 0:53:58- Absolutely.- It is different. It was more restaurant cooking.
0:53:58 > 0:54:01Dino and George. That speed test blew me away.
0:54:01 > 0:54:03- How quick, how fast.- It was done, it was all up there.
0:54:03 > 0:54:05It was amazing. They smashed it out of the park.
0:54:05 > 0:54:09They were so quick. And then on top of that, the food was brilliant.
0:54:09 > 0:54:12I mean, they stuck true to their family heritage.
0:54:12 > 0:54:15There they are, Cypriots using sea bream, garlic, thyme, lemon,
0:54:15 > 0:54:18all those flavours that you would associate with that island.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20But we have to ask ourselves - battered halloumi.
0:54:20 > 0:54:23- Yeah.- I mean, I kind of... Like you, what on earth was it doing there?
0:54:23 > 0:54:26That was the big letdown for me, that they weren't great.
0:54:26 > 0:54:28Let's go to Tim and Kelly.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31Those chips that they battered and then fried.
0:54:31 > 0:54:32- They were crispy.- Amazing.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35In the reinvention test, I love the fact that they were going to put
0:54:35 > 0:54:38a piece of grilled cod with salt and pepper on the plate
0:54:38 > 0:54:41- because that's good enough.- But they didn't manage to get it out in time.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44But they didn't manage to get it out in time, no, no. Equipment failure.
0:54:44 > 0:54:49For me, this is an incredibly difficult decision.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51You've got to think about, you know, what is a fish and chips?
0:54:51 > 0:54:54What do people want from the great British takeaway?
0:54:54 > 0:54:56- Yeah.- Do we want to sit here by the sea,
0:54:56 > 0:54:59open the box and smell curry and all that kind of stuff going on,
0:54:59 > 0:55:03which is delicious? Or do we want to open the box and smell fresh fish,
0:55:03 > 0:55:05salt, vinegar and the sea air?
0:55:05 > 0:55:07- Well...- And it's a difficult one. - It is. One of them...
0:55:07 > 0:55:11One of the most traditional fish and chips done in the most perfect way
0:55:11 > 0:55:14by a choice of two different guys cooking there.
0:55:14 > 0:55:17- Agree.- Then you've got a third person just taking
0:55:17 > 0:55:19fish and chips into the future.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25Cooks, you have made some incredible food today.
0:55:25 > 0:55:27Thank you so much.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29Time for the results.
0:55:30 > 0:55:32Guys, what can I say?
0:55:32 > 0:55:35This has been one of the hardest decisions.
0:55:35 > 0:55:39But there has to be one winner.
0:55:39 > 0:55:44And today's winner, showcasing the best fish and chip takeaway, is...
0:55:51 > 0:55:54- ..Dino and George.- Yes!
0:55:56 > 0:55:58And, of course, Sid.
0:55:59 > 0:56:01- Well done.- Thank you very much.
0:56:02 > 0:56:06Absolutely amazing. And we are a bit dumbfounded, aren't we?
0:56:06 > 0:56:08Can't find the words.
0:56:09 > 0:56:11Those guys were so amazing, as well.
0:56:11 > 0:56:13And to come out on top is just...
0:56:13 > 0:56:14A huge compliment.
0:56:14 > 0:56:17'It's a massive compliment. Absolutely amazing.'
0:56:17 > 0:56:18Well done, amazing.
0:56:18 > 0:56:20Mwah, mwah!
0:56:20 > 0:56:21Oh, I'm so happy for you.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24- How can you not be disappointed? - Yeah, too right.
0:56:24 > 0:56:25But it's, you know...
0:56:25 > 0:56:27- Everybody's so great. - The standard was so high.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30Celebrating the great British takeaway - what more can you have?
0:56:30 > 0:56:32Yeah, they're great guys.
0:56:32 > 0:56:33Well deserved it.
0:56:33 > 0:56:35Get in here, get in here.
0:56:36 > 0:56:38We would have liked to have won, but, you know,
0:56:38 > 0:56:40I've got the utmost respect for the guys and what they do.
0:56:40 > 0:56:42They're fast, you know what I mean?
0:56:42 > 0:56:44I was surprised at the standard that came out.
0:56:44 > 0:56:46I had no idea who was going to win.
0:56:46 > 0:56:47I don't think any of us did, you know?
0:56:51 > 0:56:52So proud for them.
0:56:53 > 0:56:55I'm so proud. Oh, I can't say...
0:56:55 > 0:56:56Can't say anything.
0:56:56 > 0:57:00- He can't put it into words. - Can't put it to the words.
0:57:00 > 0:57:01It's not easy to cry.
0:57:01 > 0:57:04Honest to God, today, I cry.
0:57:04 > 0:57:06That's for Dad.
0:57:09 > 0:57:12Fast food doesn't have to mean bad food.
0:57:12 > 0:57:15The food that those guys just served is a great example of that.
0:57:15 > 0:57:20Exciting flavours served quickly and great quality every single time.
0:57:20 > 0:57:22That's what it's all about.