How can anyone charge £32 for fish and chips? Celeb chef Tom Kerridge defends bumper price tag for pub staple at his restaurant
A CHEF charging £32.50 for fish and chips at a London restaurant has defended the high price as "easily justifiable".
Tom Kerridge has revealed the secrets behind the so-called "comfort food" that combines a mouth-watering meal with an eye-watering price tag.
Speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, the 46-year-old explained: "From my point of view, fish and chips is one of the greatest dishes in the world."
reports he said: "If you break it down, it is easily justifiable.
"There are Japanese three-Michelin star restaurants that are doing tempura, that are specialising in amazing pieces of fish that are deep fried and served and cost the earth.
";Why can’t we get the best fish in the world and create the best batter, deep fry it and serve it with amazing potatoes?"
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Kerridge says he uses fresh dayboat turbot, the finest quality potatoes and a fruit Matson sauce for his luxury take served at his same-named Bar and Grill at the Corinthia Hotel.
Even the batter is on sparkling form - made with £4-a-bottle Kingsdown fizzy water.
You'll get your wedge of lemon - but it comes wrapped in muslin to protect your dainty fingers.
Why can’t we get the best fish in the world and create the best batter, deep fry it and serve it with amazing potatoes?
Tom Kerridge
The traditional sauces have also been 'fancied up', with tartar sauce made with capers, grated hard-boiled egg and cornichons and mushy peas made with fresh green split peas - a world away from the dribbly Styrofoam containers.
Finally, no fish supper is complete without the chips - and here you get seven of them from "incredibly expensive" potatoes.
Kerridge's have been parboiled, then chilled, then fired in rapeseed oil, then chilled again and then fried again before being delicately placed in a cup.
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Despite the ludicrous price tag, which doesn't include the 12.5 per cent service charge, foodies are singing the British chef praises.
Robert Hardman, a food critic for the , sampled the meal to see if it was worth the money.
He called the meal "superb", while Grace Dent, 's restaurant critic, branded the chips "once-in-a-lifetime".
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