It has taken me some time to be comfortable with that, especially post-Covid and knowing some owners now and hearing the struggle of keeping the shop open. On the other hand, if it’s not up to the mark I comment on it because I can’t go around saying everything’s perfect if I’m calling myself a fish and chip reviewer. It is hard because on one hand I’m saying “support small business, go and check your local out”. There’s often a lot of discussion, especially in the art world in Aotearoa, about how difficult it can be to be critical in this country – do you find that challenging in your reviews? ![]() They know the timings, no timer out or anything. And those busy shops where there’s a massive line waiting, the phone’s going off and it’s mum or dad working, son or daughter on the counter. Even wrapping the fish and chips is a skill. Some of the shop owners, they let me behind to watch them do it all. They can get it wrong within just a minute or less than that – it’s either gonna be over or it’s gonna be under, and it’s a fine line. But if the chips are over, or the fish is over or it’s too soft, there’s not much that can be done. Some fish and chips poke the packets with the fork so it airs it out, or people still believe in ripping it open so it doesn’t get soggy. It’s so easy just to get a little bit over, and because we eat straight outside the shop, I can imagine what something would be like when it gets home – it’s still cooking in the packet. How easy is it for fish and chips to go wrong? It’s like the film Ratatouille when the grumpy reviewer takes a bite and it takes him back to his childhood. I’m trying to get that feeling, and then try to connect it to the people who are watching. That’s what I try to look for in each review. Growing up in a low socioeconomic area like Aranui, in what was not the wealthiest family, in fact, on the poverty line, fish and chips was a special moment for us – it was a family thing. When you’re reviewing fish and chips, what are you looking for? Gin’s Takeaways – in the heart of Aranui. Thankfully they relocated within the area. We had our local, which unfortunately came down during the earthquakes. In the early 90s, we would only buy dinner once a week if we could afford it. ![]() You grew up in Aranui in Christchurch – how do fish and chips fit into your childhood memories? That’s probably what intrigued me about this whole food thing, I’m a big history geek. I’m the deputy principal here and a history teacher. ![]() I’ve worked at Rolleston College in Christchurch for the last two years. I spoke to Wilson about the complexities of reviewing fish and chips.Ĭan you tell me about what you do when you’re not reviewing fish and chips? These are the decidedly no-fuss fish and chip video reviews posted to YouTube by 1 Fish 1 Scoop, AKA Ōtautahi deputy principal and history teacher Alby Wilson.Įach episode sees him travelling to a new spot in the city with the help of his wife, kids and friends, then ordering, as the name of his channel might suggest, one fish and one scoop of chips.Īfter two years of tasting, it’s clear that Wilson isn’t on a mission to simply elevate fish and chips, rather he’s in it to show that wrapped up among the battered fillets and steaming chips there is skill, art and history. There’s the sound of crumpling paper, hunger-inducing shots of fresh-from-the-deep-fryer kai and very often, tidbits and facts about the shop and its surroundings. This is an excerpt from our weekly food newsletter, The Boil Up. ![]() Ōtautahi has no shortage of fish and chip shops, and one deputy principal is on a mission to review them all – one fish and one scoop of chips at a time.
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