Tom Kerridge has put up the price on his already controversial £35 fish and chips in luxury department store Harrods.
The celebrity chef, 49, came under fire earlier this year for the costly dish at Kerridge’s Fish and Chips, his restaurant which opened in the London building in June 2021.
He subsequently defended himself after fans called the portion of fish “scrawny” and others criticised the accompanying “thimbles of sauce”.
However, punters have now noted that a fish supper at Kerridge’s has increased in price from £35 to £37.
The dish is described as featuring “our ever-changing fish, caught from day boats in Cornwall” cooked in gluten-free batter. It is served with chips, Matson curry sauce (named after the estate Kerridge grew up on in Gloucester), tartare sauce and pease pudding.
The Independent has contacted Kerridge’s representatives for comment.
In July, the Great British Menu judge spoke out following criticism over his already pricey £35 fish and chips.
“I’m seen as a man of the people, so when I put fish and chips on for £35, they shout at me for it being expensive,” he said.
“But the people criticising me don’t understand how it’s priced. Fish and chips was always seen as cheap, fast food, and I get that because of where I grew up.”
Kerridge, 50, went on to explain that “the fish in most chippies is frozen at sea, in a big block, a year ago, then cut up and portioned. The potatoes are maybe four weeks old, have gone through a chipper, been cleaned and put into cheap oil. They’re wrapped in paper, with malt vinegar and salt.”
Kerridge has previously faced criticism over the dish— (PA)
Clarifying that he still “loved” traditional fish and chips, Kerridge said that the fish at Harrods was line-caught using traditional fishing methods by fishermen who go out to sea and return on the same day..
“The potatoes are specifically sourced for their sugar and starch content, then individually cut up by a person. It’s bespoke dining in the most exclusive and beautiful shop in the world. Of course it’s expensive,” he added.
Kerridge opened his first pub, The Hand and Flowers in Buckinghamshire, in 2005. It gained its first Michelin star in under a year.
In 2021, however, Kerridge was dealt criticism over an £87 sirloin steak in the establishment. The chef responded that food prices were high because he pays his hospitality staff “properly” and treats their jobs as professional careers.
