Chippy secrets revealed as chip shop worker opens up on one item he'd 'never order'
A former chip shop worker has opened up on what really goes on behind the fryer, including the one item he'd never order and the unexpected sweet treat customers love.
Most Brits love a Friday night chippy tea - keeping the tradition of our 'national dish', fish an chips, alive. Whether you're team scampi or battered sausage, there's no shoratge of choice, with more than 10,000 specialist shops across the UK, reports the Mirror.
While most of us are quick to get stuck in, few know what really happens behind the counter. However, Jordan Luxford does and he's not shy about spilling the secrets.
After five years working in chip shops across the country, Jordan - who now runs A-Star Waste Management in Sussex - has shared the secrets he learned from life behind the counter.
Offering insight into the frying process, Jordan said: "Most people wouldn't know that after we cook battered products in our oil, we would follow it with a batch of chips." According to Jordan, this helps get rid of the tiny batter fragments that linger even after sieving.
From flaky cod to deep-fried mars bars, just about anything goes in the bubby pots of your local chippy. However, ex-Wimbledon chef Jordan Luxford says not everything is worth the risk, and there are a few things he now swerves completely after years on the fryer frontline.
"I would never order a fried beef burger! If you want a decent burger, get it from a shop with a hot plate to cook it on." He told the Express.
"If you want a freshly cooked item go for something that isn't in the glass top under the lights but we would cook anything fresh if a customer asked anyway."
But there is a special treat, customers tend to love Jordan explains "Fried chocolate bars have always been popular too. We would usually cook them for free alongside an order and as we wouldn't have the chocolate bars in stock, the customer would be asked to bring them with them and we would cook them at the same time as the rest of their order."
Aside from cooking methods, there are other aspects of life behind the scenes of British chippies that fans of the beloved takeaway trade may find surprising. According to Jordan, a significant amount of effort goes into preparing the menu items that dominate fish and chip shops, especially the fries.
The business owner explained: "The amount of preparation time needed to get everything ready before opening was a huge surprise! It takes hours to cut a Friday night's fish and even more hours to peel, inspect and cut 20 bags of potatoes. Prep for a Friday night, opening at 5.30 pm would start at 10 am."
A meal that we scoff down in 20 minutes takes hours just to prep. With this revealed, we may start to appreciate the chip shop staff more.
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