Whitehead’s fish and chip shop in Hornsea has been named the 2023 UK Fish and Chip Shop of the Year at an awards ceremony in London.
The popular chippie in the Greenway, which has both a restaurant and takeaway outlet, was initially named in the top 10 finalists in November, before being named the outright winner at the Park Plaza, Westminster Bridge, on Tuesday, February 28.
In a Facebook post after the award was announced, the Whiteheads team said they were “honoured, proud and delighted”.
The following day, they were invited to Parliament to be congratulated in person by Beverley and Holderness MP Graham Stuart.
At the time of being shortlisted in the top 10 fish and chip takeaways in the country, owner Geoff Whitehead called it “a momentous year for Whitehead’s fish and chips”, given that it had been 25 years since it opened for business.
Over the years, Whitehead’s has made several adaptations to its menu and is the only fish shop in the area to offer gluten-free options. It also uses carefully selected ingredients within its menu and offers the most environmentally friendly sourced fish. It was the first East Yorkshire chip shop to be offered a certification by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC).
The National Fish and Chip Awards were organised by the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF) and hosted by comedian and presenter, Jason Manford. The event saw 600 guests attend from across the sector, including fish and chip business owners, industry partners and headline sponsors such as Seafood from Norway, represented by the Norwegian Seafood Council (NSC), and JustEat.
The victors in each category have won a-once- in-a-lifetime study trip to Norway hosted by Seafood from Norway. They will participate in an action-packed itinerary including a voyage on board one of the country’s frozen-at-sea vessels, to experience first-hand the Norwegian fleet’s world-class sustainable fishing and processing facilities.
NFFF president Andrew Crook said: “Celebrating our vibrant and spirited industry today has been an absolute pleasure. We were blown away by the standard of entries this year, all of which have shown an incredible dedication to serving the nation’s favourite dish, in what has been a tumultuous year for the sector.
“I would like to congratulate all the winners and runners-up, while wishing nothing more but the very best success for the future.”
