I’m Charlie, and I am the Head Fryer at Pier Point Bar and Restaurant in Torquay.
I got my first taste of the fish & chip industry whilst I was in college on an
electrician’s course, which I had very little passion or interest in.
I saw a sign on the door of Paignton Pier Chippy saying they were looking for staff,
so I just went in and asked about it, which is when I first met Lorraine Arnold, the
owner. She asked about me and what I was doing and if I had any experience. Despite not
having any, she agreed took a chance on me and agreed to give me a trial shift.
As my curiosity and passion for the industry grew, I eventually made the decision to
leave college and fully commit to Fish and Chips as a career. I started out as a KP & rumbler, (which is prepping the chips on site fresh every
day) before progressing to the tills and Lorraine saw I had a knack for customer service.
During all this time, I was itching to get on the fryer – it seemed a magical place
which Lorraine wouldn’t let anyone on unless they had been trained by her and also
been to chippy school. This was where I learned the importance of perfection and
getting everything right. From the way we made the chips, to frying the food to
serving the customer, everything had to be 100% or at least strive to be the best as
Lorraine says.
Eventually, I was filling the chip baskets and frying the chips, and I was allowed to do
some of the other frying, but not fish, not YET.
Then finally, the moment came and Lorraine shouted over the range for me to drop a
fish so she could see how I did. She said it was good. I had a knack. She allowed me to fry more and more and paid
for me to go to chippy school. She even suggested the Dry White Young Fish Fryer
competition even then, but I didn’t feel ready. I was finding my feet in an industry I
had stumbled into but found I had a talent and a passion for. I was good at it, but I
wanted to be the best.
When Lorraine bought Pier Point and asked me to transfer over, I had no hesitation. I
was proud to move over and remain part of the family and help create a new team
at Pier Point. Lorraine had given me a chance when I needed it and nurtured me
through the years, and also I should say, through my punctuality issues back in the
early days. I wasn’t always on time, sometimes I missed a shift, but Lorraine felt I
was worth giving a chance on. In fact, I remember one bank holiday Lorraine was
knocking on my door shouting, “Charlie, I hope your getting dressed its Bank Holiday
Weekend and you are letting everyone down!!!”
It could’ve gone either way, especially in seaside towns like Paignton & Torquay
where I see a few young people who were not fortunate to get opportunities and
chances. I’m grateful I had them and held on to them. The industry has done so much for me as a person, building my confidence and
motivating and inspiring me to constantly improve, and even mentor new fryers who
come into the fold, it’s so rewarding to see how when new team members come on
board, Lorraine trusts me to now be the one teaching them!
Being part of the not only fish & chips but also the awards has giving me the
opportunity to travel the country, meet incredible people within the trade, and even
visit the Netherlands to see how our frying ranges are made, which was an amazing
experience. Through industry awards such as the NFFF, we have achieved strong
recognition, including placing in the top three and top five twice for Restaurant of the
Year, and I am extremely passionate about the quality of our product, always pushing
myself to try new ideas and explore different types of fish.
I have entered the NFFF Young Fish Frier of the Year award three times, with this being my final year due to
the age cut-off of 25, and I am proud to be in the final five, with the winner
announced in London on February 24th. This industry is far from a dead-end
job—there is a real career to be made if you push yourself, stay curious, and take every opportunity that comes your way, and my ultimate goal is to one day own my
own fish and chip shop!
