The best fish and chip shop in Scotland is celebrating its 20th birthday
This Aberdeenshire insitution has been going for decades
There are over 10,000 chippies in Scotland.
However, we’d say that The Bay Fish and Chips in Stonehaven is surely the best. After all, it has over 90 awards to its name, and has been a pioneer when it comes to sustainability and serving MSC-certified seafood.
Plus, it has a beautiful - if rather nippy - location, bang on the waterfront.
We asked the director and chef, Calum Richardson, who also runs a hospitality coaching business, Forked Up, to tell us more.
How does it feel to be celebrating 20 years?
It’s quite funny, because it doesn't feel like that. It feels like 10 years, but when you look back, you realise how many things have changed in that time.
What has changed?
Probably me. I’ve changed from the owner I was, but you have to move with the times or you're probably dead in the water. We continually refit the shop and update equipment so that it's current. As the business evolves, we have to evolve with it. I was 33 when I opened the shop, so quite young, and how you run a business changes as you get older. The mistakes were difficult at the time, but were the biggest and best lessons ever.
Of all the awards you’ve won, which was the most important to you?
Initially, I would have said winning Young Fish Frier of the Year, because it made me realize that I should hang in there and there might be a career in this. Then winning Fish and Chip Shop of the Year was the big turning point that doubled the turnover instantly. That was huge. I had got to the finals the year before and won in Scotland but not the UK. And it was hard at the time, but one of the best learning curves, because it made me prepare. But in that year, waiting to win, I realised that there were so many other opportunities in the industry, and all of a sudden I’m meeting inspirational people like Raymond Blanc and Tom Kitchin. And you realise, hang on, there's more to this than just fish and chips. I went on and I won The Cateys, which is like the Oscars of the hospitality industry. That was probably the most prestigious one. The only negative was that I won it during lockdown, so I won it in the living room.
How have people’s eating habits changed?
I'm terrible at knowing people's names, though I can tell you what they eat and what day they're coming in. Eating habits have changed generally. When I first started, we would have ordered four stones of standard fish and one stone of jumbo. Then it started becoming four and two. So people were having big fish, but also sneaky chasers on the side.
What are the more unusual things you sell?
I sell lots of different fish species, and it's just a trust thing, because when I first started, you couldn't get anyone to try anything, but you just persevered. Once people start trusting you, I think it's less daunting. Hand-dived scallops were popular for a long time. I sourced them from former diver Guy Grieve. That's a funny story. At the Scotland Food and Drink Awards, me and Guy were up against each other for the Sustainability Award, and I actually thought he was going to win it, but I won it, and he took that a little bit hard. So I messaged him asking for his product listing, and he wouldn't give it to me. He said, “It's not for you, it's too expensive”. And I said, “Well, I never asked the price”. He wanted to supply all these high-end people, so I ended up taking a box of scallops off him, and I put a picture on social media and said, “Thanks, Guy, that's an empty box. I'll have more tomorrow, please”. He's on the phone, saying “You sold all of them?”
When we first started, we sold a lot of scallops, lobsters, langoustines, and we still do. Now you've got a change in the times. Young people want loaded chips, salt and pepper fish and chips, things like that. If you don't move, you're left standing a little bit.
Why do you have such a broad gluten free offering?
Folk have always come in and asked for it, and I've always been like, no, there's so much gluten in this establishment, I don't have a dedicated fryer. When we did the last refit, which was a month before Covid, and changed the frying equipment, I put in a total gluten free section. There's no contamination there, but there is gluten in the shop. So I always tell people, if you’ve got a severe celiac problem, this is not for you. But the amount of people who have someone in the family who has gluten allergies. If a dad comes in to buy dinner for the whole family, and there’s nothing for, say, little Sally, he won’t come at all.
Tell us about your ethos of sustainability
That's my main thing. We want longevity, and to keep this tradition going. Years ago, when I first started in this industry, my ex father-in-law used to say, if someone comes in and asks where the pies come from, don't tell them. I get it, because you don't want a competitor copying you. But, things have changed over the years. If they're not willing to tell me where that product's from, I don’t want it. Customers want the story now.
What do you think of deep-fried Mars Bars?
Not my thing. I prefer fish and chips.
Favourite suppliers?
Couper Seafood. He's been with me now for 19 years and has never let me down. Instead of peeling and chipping the chips every day, in house, I have a supplier now, Malcolm Wood of The Real Fresh Chip Co, and he peels them for me. There’s more control and consistency. It makes for a better environment. Also, Colin Cromer from Middleton Foods, who manufactures my batter mix that I sell across the world.
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