We have a winner! Local Food Hero 2008
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Richard Ord from Colman's Fish and Chip Shop in South Shields is our Local Food Hero 2008!
We spoke to a very happy Richard who wins £40,000 to invest in his business, Colman's of South Shields
Congratulations on winning - what are you planning to do with your prize money?
The prize money will be invested back in the business. We have been looking at a new frying range which will reduce our carbon footprint.
How did you get nominated for the competition?
To be fair, I’m sure it was through our customers. They’re what we’re all about. We’re not only famous for our produce but also pride ourselves on our customer service. We’ve got fantastic staff here.
Did you expect to win Local Food Hero?
It’s come as quite a surprise. But we’re absolutely delighted to win it. It’s fantastic at the end of the day that fish and chips have come through as a champion. Fish and chips as a meal is really not appreciated as it should be. We’re passionate about fish and chips at Colman’s.
And it’s lovely something so simple has won.
That’s right. ‘Keep it simple’, that’s the old adage. And it’s worked this time, I’m delighted. I’m not advocating eating them everyday - but as part of a balanced diet, it’s up there with the best. It’s basically potatoes, fish, flour, water and a cooking medium, and that’s it. There’s no added salt, there’s no additives, it’s fresh from the land and the sea to the plate. That’s the secret…simplicity.
Could you tell me a bit about the history of Colman’s?
Our first business started on the foreshore in South Shields, from what we can gather in about 1905. That was a small hut built by my great-grandfather. He started in ice cream, actually. Then we moved into fish and chips about 1910 and moved to where we are - Ocean Street in South Shields - in 1926. And we’ve remained here ever since. I’m the fourth generation.
It’s great to see it stay in the family.
That’s exactly right. We offer things that these places, all these awful fast-food places, don’t…Personal service. We’re part of the community. It’s another link in the chain, ticking all the boxes - providing the community with quality produce. And being part of it, indeed. This is what it’s all about.
Who is the typical Colman’s customer?
I tell you what, there’s not a typical Colman’s consumer! They’re from the pram to the wheel chair. We had an old lady come in for her 100th birthday party a few weeks ago. We have children’s birthday parties and it’s great to have the young ones in, because it’s starting another generation. Weaning them off hamburgers and kebabs! We’ve never gone down that road; we’ve always just stuck to what we know, which is fish.
What is the most popular order - and would that be your dish of choice?
Well, the dish that I would choose would be the one that we did for Local Food Hero - a three-foot seafood platter, just a little taste of everything! But fish and chips are certainly the most popular on the menu, and I would opt for that too.
Are fish and chips enduringly popular?
Fish and chips as a takeaway outsell other takeaways by 4:1. So they’re extremely popular. What makes us really happy is that we’ve won this for fish and chips. It’s the thing we’ve been famed for for 100 years. From the Queen downward, everybody loves fish and chips. In a recent survey by The Telegraph, fish and chips were number one in the Best of British - it’s an iconic meal.
Has the involvement with Local Food Hero attracted increased interest in the business?
I’ve got somebody coming from local press today, so that’s the start of it. It’s obviously going to generate a massive amount of publicity. So we’re getting ready for it.
Is local produce important to the restaurant?
Extremely. And seasonal - fish has a season like anything else. Once a fish has spawned, you wouldn’t want to eat it. It loses a third of its body weight and most of its flavour. It’s very important that you buy sustainably too, which is a thing we started years ago. I joined ‘Seafood Sea Life’ with Greenpeace to promote sustainability.
Is it difficult to get consumers to try different species such as coley or ling?
Aha! That’s a good question. Yes it is, because people are very stuck in their ways with cod and haddock. Cod in this particular area, in Scotland it’s haddock, every region has its favourites. It’s very hard. But we do promotions with a great company, Seafish, who put on Seafood Fortnight. We give away samples of different fish, let people try it, and they’re starting now to go for different species, like whiting or ling.
How do you go about sourcing your fish?
We have a procurement policy. We ask all our suppliers to confirm in writing from what sector they get their fish so we have total traceability on all the boats. I go and collect fish from our local quay, I still go down to the staithe three or four days a week, and pick it all out by hand. I’m old fashioned, you see. But it works. Written on the menu are all the serial numbers of the boats, so there’s total traceability on everything we’ve got.
What do you think the region could improve on in terms of food?
We’ve never received recognition for the quality of our food. Northumberland, Durham, just the North East in general. Things like Local Food Hero generate publicity, and help draw attention to our region. And I’m delighted to be the mouthpiece. We need to bang home how much fantastic produce our region has really got - fantastic cheese and fantastic meat.
You’re very generous with recipes on your website - do you worry that this might affect sales?
No, I don’t worry at all. The fine Mr. Ramsay, Gary Rhodes - they’ve all got their books out and it doesn’t affect them. On the programme, I showed people how to do the batter, and Brian Turner said, ‘I think that’s a bit too much information’, and I said, ‘But you’ve got to do it, you see’. It’s the skill in doing it. Why shouldn’t people try it? They should have a go -if they ring me up on the phone, I’ll tell them how to do it.
And, finally, do you have any trade secrets on how to make the ‘perfect’ fish and chips at home…
Come to Colman’s! There’s a secret.
The prize money will be invested back in the business. We have been looking at a new frying range which will reduce our carbon footprint.
How did you get nominated for the competition?
To be fair, I’m sure it was through our customers. They’re what we’re all about. We’re not only famous for our produce but also pride ourselves on our customer service. We’ve got fantastic staff here.
Did you expect to win Local Food Hero?
It’s come as quite a surprise. But we’re absolutely delighted to win it. It’s fantastic at the end of the day that fish and chips have come through as a champion. Fish and chips as a meal is really not appreciated as it should be. We’re passionate about fish and chips at Colman’s.
And it’s lovely something so simple has won.
That’s right. ‘Keep it simple’, that’s the old adage. And it’s worked this time, I’m delighted. I’m not advocating eating them everyday - but as part of a balanced diet, it’s up there with the best. It’s basically potatoes, fish, flour, water and a cooking medium, and that’s it. There’s no added salt, there’s no additives, it’s fresh from the land and the sea to the plate. That’s the secret…simplicity.
Could you tell me a bit about the history of Colman’s?
Our first business started on the foreshore in South Shields, from what we can gather in about 1905. That was a small hut built by my great-grandfather. He started in ice cream, actually. Then we moved into fish and chips about 1910 and moved to where we are - Ocean Street in South Shields - in 1926. And we’ve remained here ever since. I’m the fourth generation.
It’s great to see it stay in the family.
That’s exactly right. We offer things that these places, all these awful fast-food places, don’t…Personal service. We’re part of the community. It’s another link in the chain, ticking all the boxes - providing the community with quality produce. And being part of it, indeed. This is what it’s all about.
Who is the typical Colman’s customer?
I tell you what, there’s not a typical Colman’s consumer! They’re from the pram to the wheel chair. We had an old lady come in for her 100th birthday party a few weeks ago. We have children’s birthday parties and it’s great to have the young ones in, because it’s starting another generation. Weaning them off hamburgers and kebabs! We’ve never gone down that road; we’ve always just stuck to what we know, which is fish.
What is the most popular order - and would that be your dish of choice?
Well, the dish that I would choose would be the one that we did for Local Food Hero - a three-foot seafood platter, just a little taste of everything! But fish and chips are certainly the most popular on the menu, and I would opt for that too.
Are fish and chips enduringly popular?
Fish and chips as a takeaway outsell other takeaways by 4:1. So they’re extremely popular. What makes us really happy is that we’ve won this for fish and chips. It’s the thing we’ve been famed for for 100 years. From the Queen downward, everybody loves fish and chips. In a recent survey by The Telegraph, fish and chips were number one in the Best of British - it’s an iconic meal.
Has the involvement with Local Food Hero attracted increased interest in the business?
I’ve got somebody coming from local press today, so that’s the start of it. It’s obviously going to generate a massive amount of publicity. So we’re getting ready for it.
Is local produce important to the restaurant?
Extremely. And seasonal - fish has a season like anything else. Once a fish has spawned, you wouldn’t want to eat it. It loses a third of its body weight and most of its flavour. It’s very important that you buy sustainably too, which is a thing we started years ago. I joined ‘Seafood Sea Life’ with Greenpeace to promote sustainability.
Is it difficult to get consumers to try different species such as coley or ling?
Aha! That’s a good question. Yes it is, because people are very stuck in their ways with cod and haddock. Cod in this particular area, in Scotland it’s haddock, every region has its favourites. It’s very hard. But we do promotions with a great company, Seafish, who put on Seafood Fortnight. We give away samples of different fish, let people try it, and they’re starting now to go for different species, like whiting or ling.
How do you go about sourcing your fish?
We have a procurement policy. We ask all our suppliers to confirm in writing from what sector they get their fish so we have total traceability on all the boats. I go and collect fish from our local quay, I still go down to the staithe three or four days a week, and pick it all out by hand. I’m old fashioned, you see. But it works. Written on the menu are all the serial numbers of the boats, so there’s total traceability on everything we’ve got.
What do you think the region could improve on in terms of food?
We’ve never received recognition for the quality of our food. Northumberland, Durham, just the North East in general. Things like Local Food Hero generate publicity, and help draw attention to our region. And I’m delighted to be the mouthpiece. We need to bang home how much fantastic produce our region has really got - fantastic cheese and fantastic meat.
You’re very generous with recipes on your website - do you worry that this might affect sales?
No, I don’t worry at all. The fine Mr. Ramsay, Gary Rhodes - they’ve all got their books out and it doesn’t affect them. On the programme, I showed people how to do the batter, and Brian Turner said, ‘I think that’s a bit too much information’, and I said, ‘But you’ve got to do it, you see’. It’s the skill in doing it. Why shouldn’t people try it? They should have a go -if they ring me up on the phone, I’ll tell them how to do it.
And, finally, do you have any trade secrets on how to make the ‘perfect’ fish and chips at home…
Come to Colman’s! There’s a secret.
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