5 days ago
I run an award-winning chippy in Scotland – here's where loads of fish & chip shops get it all wrong
Some customers even make a 500-mile round trip just to try the scran
OH MY COD! I run an award-winning chippy in Scotland – here's where loads of fish & chip shops get it all wrong
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AN award-winning Scots fish and chip shop owner has revealed the secrets to the supper.
Sarah Heward opened The Real Food Cafe in Tyndrum, in the Highlands, in 2005.
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The Real Food Cafe, in Tyndrum, Crianlarich, opened in 2005
Credit: Alamy
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Its fish suppers are top class
Credit: Steve Welsh
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Owner Sarah Heward revealed the secret to the perfect fish supper
Credit: John Kirkby
She transformed it from a run-down Little Chef to an iconic roadside diner serving thousands of punters each year.
The eatery sits on the A82, halfway between Glasgow and Fort William, and is the perfect spot to refuel.
The menu boasts all the usual chippy classics like burgers, battered sausages and fish suppers, as well as more unusual dishes like fish chowder and plant-based Tofish suppers.
As a Coeliac UK-accredited caterer, The Real Food Cafe also offers a gluten-free menu, drawing some customers to make a 500-mile round trip just to try it.
It regularly appears on 'Best Of' lists as one of Scotland's favourite chippies and has scooped the National Fish & Chip Awards seven times.
Sarah also shared her top tips for making the ultimate fish and chips.
The eatery prides itself on using 'only proper raw ingredients' and local produce.
According to Sarah: "Fish and chips might sound simple, but making a truly outstanding chippy is anything but. It's all about layers of detail. The Real Food Cafe only uses MSC-certified, sustainable sourced fish. Once prepped and portioned, it's carefully layered in a Fish Fridge, no more than two or three fillets deep, ready for frying."
There's also a secret behind their perfect batter.
Sarah said: "Our signature light, golden batter is made with chilled water. The cold temperature causes the wheat protein to expand, and when the batter hits the hot oil, it explodes, creating that crisp, airy texture you want - nobody likes a soggy fish and chips! We also use a specialised batter-whisking machine to keep the consistency just right.
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And the chips deserve attention as well, achieving perfection is crucial.
Sarah added: 'But the chips matter just as much. Ours are made fresh daily, sometimes up to a quarter of a tonne. When the tatties arrive, we test them for sugar content because too much sugar means chips that fry too dark. We rumble 25kg of potatoes at a time, eye them by hand and chip them in a machine that can process a full sack in about 20 seconds.
'Cooking times are constantly adjusted throughout the year for variations in potato and wheat crops. Once it's all cooked, we finish with the final secret ingredients: salt, vinegar, and a generous serving of love."
We told previously how Scotland's best fish and chip shop has been crowned in this year's takeaway awards.
And a fish and chips fan who spent more than year visiting 120 chippies across the UK has revealed his top five.
