Fish and chips frying high after national icon success

Nicholas Parker, head chef, the White Horse, Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk

"Well, it would be nice if the British public ate something different, but to be honest the majority of British palates do not get excited about different things. Fish and chips are a classic and something almost everyone enjoys. It is what people were brought up on - the Friday night fish supper. So, in a round-about way, it deserves to be a national icon. It should certainly have a place on the menu because people expect it to be there, plus it makes us a lot of money. We can serve up to 40 portions of fish and chips alone at lunchtime and get through about 50kg/110lb of potatoes a day. We buy in fresh cod, which is coated in a simple beer and flour batter, and fried for between seven and 10 minutes depending on size. This is served with hand-cut chips cooked in duck fat and pease pudding, home-made tartar sauce and a wedge of lemon. I would like to move away from the pease pudding but, because it is such a classic dish, people know what they want and they have their expectations about what they are going to get, so you cannot deviate too far away from that. At £11.95 we are not the cheapest but as a review in the Guardian once stated, ours were better than those of TV chef Gary Rhodes!"

Paul Somerville, head chef, Masonic Arms, Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

"I don't necessarily feel it should be a national icon of England but it does deserve a place on the menu because people recognise it and they know what to expect. We use haddock fillets brought in from Lamb Westons which we coat in a batter made with beer and soda water. This is served with chunky chips, we use frozen simply because of the sheer volume we get through. Customers can choose an accompaniment of mushy or garden peas for an additional £1 and this is all served with home-made tartar sauce in newspaper. Not a real newspaper, but a Masonic Times which has local information printed on it, such as forthcoming events, galas and adverts. It is a great way to advertise the restaurant."

Sean Hope, head chef, the Olive Branch, Clipsham, Leicestershire

"Why not? It is part of our heritage. People have loved it for such a long time. One of my traits is to look at the design of traditional dishes and recreate them in a modern and innovative way. Fish and chips are a sure-fire winner and I love them. We sell loads of fish and chip lunches, so, why should it earn a place on the menu? It's all about supply and demand. The fish we use on our menu depends on the season and market availability. We have used cod in the past and coley, hake and haddock are all good calls. We also focus on sustainable resources when it comes to fish selection. Our batter is tempura-style, which gives a lighter consistency, and is not too heavy. We add our own olive oil and house beer which gives it a light, crispy slightly yeasty flavour. Our chips are hand-cut and the variety we use again depends upon the season - we are always in search of the perfect potato. At the moment we are using Spuntas or King Edward's. These are served on a big plate with our own version of minted peas and our tomato fondue in a pot, a real rich and chunky sauce and an old Tabasco bottle which is filled with malt vinegar and a wedge of lemon - real attention to detail."

David Horridge, Crab & Lobster, Chieveley, Berkshire

"We are well known for our fish and chips. They feature on both our specials board and our à la carte menu. On the specials board we serve fresh seasonal fish. This can be haddock or cod or sometimes even hake coated in a London Pride beer batter. I make this fresh every morning and serve with hand-cut chunky chips cooked in goose fat. One of our signature dishes at the Crab is our 'posh fish and chips', which is on the à la carte menu. It includes tempura of crab, Thai-style fishcake, Tuscan salad with seared tuna steak and tiger prawn presented on a long plate - it's quite hard to describe without seeing it, but again it is served with chunky chips and minted mushy peas. This is fish and chips to restaurant standard, a dish I would be happy to have in a restaurant. I think as long as you use fresh fish, good batter and a clean fryer you're on to a winner - people shouldn't be so snobby about it. Fish and chips are part of our national heritage. I often go to my fish suppliers down on the coast. If you saw the people queuing to go into pubs for their fish and chips you wouldn't have to explain why they deserve a place on the menu."