'I worked in a chipper for years - there's one thing I'd never order'
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The Irish have a grand tradition of hitting the local 'chipper' for a Friday night treat, with anything from a classic fish supper to a battered sausage on offer from the plethora of takeaways across the country
But have you ever wondered what goes on behind the counter of your beloved chip shop? Jordan Luxford has. Having spent five years working his way through various chip shops, he's clued up on the secrets of the fryer and has some choice advice on what to steer clear of on the menu.
Now steering the ship at A-Star Waste Management, Jordan has spilt the tea on how things tick in the world of classic fast food from his time flipping fish and chips, Irish Mirror reports.
Opening up about frying practices, Jordan revealed: "Most people wouldn't know that after we cook battered products in our oil, we would follow it with a batch of chips,".
He explains this smart technique helps clean out any lingering bits of batter from the oil.
As a former chef slinging everything from savoury staples to battered sweets into the fryer, Jordan admits there's far more variety than just the usual cod or haddock – even chocolate bars get a dip. But based on his insider experience, there are certain items he wouldn't touch today.
He said: "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."
The staff are more than happy to cook up something straight from the fryer, as one employee shares: "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."
And just wait until you get a load of the quirky indulgence causing a stir - fried chocolate bars!
"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."
But the chippy experience isn't all oily sizzle and batter; beyond the fryer, there's a lot more effort involved. An owner lifts the lid on the gruelling behind-the-scenes work: "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."
So, the next time you wolf down your chips in no time at all, remember the intense labour that's gone into it - a tip of the hat to those unsung heroes at the counter.
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