[vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Calum’s Green Initiatives Scoops Food Pioneer of the Year Award!
We love to talk about leaders in our industry doing exceptional work. This month we catch up with a former Fish and Chip Shop of the Year champion, a man who never settles for second best, and is always breaking new ground.
Recently crowned Scotland Food Pioneer of the Year at the prestigious Scotland Food and Drink Awards, founder of The Bay Fish and Chips, Calum Richardson, talks to Chippy Chat about how it felt to win, what he’s doing for the sector, and what he’s up to next.
I was blown away winning Food Pioneer of the Year Award – it wasn’t something I expected to win at all, as the competition was tough!
It feels fantastic to win this award especially, as it is designed to recognise an innovative company or person who has made a ground-breaking impact on Scottish food and/or drink – and at The Bay we always try to do things differently and challenge the norm.
This award feels like recognition of that, and I’m proud that The Bay is setting an example of what can be done with a bit of graft – something we’re no strangers to in our industry.
Being sustainable and eco-friendly is a very popular thing to be seen to be doing now, but it’s something that requires commitment and creativity if it’s going to make a real difference.
A lot of people underestimate just what you can do to go ‘green’, and I think that can be true of the ‘fast food’ sector as well.
We do a lot to ensure we’re carbon neutral – using Vegware, making sure that 89% of all ingredients used are sourced from within a 50-mile radius, using 100% renewable gas and electricity and uplifting all the oil used in the business, turning it into biodiesel.
Even the starch off our tatties doesn’t go to waste! We invested in a special piece of kit that enables our staff to filter off the starch and decant it so it can be collected by a local farmer to feed his pigs – he’ll regularly pick up 50 litres of starch at a time.
In terms of next steps, we’re going to be doing what we’ve always done – promoting sustainability and locality. We do this by visiting schools, educating the next generation, touring the world and participating in cooking shows from America to Japan.
I also want to encourage people to shake off the stereotypes attached to a career in hospitality. A lot of folk think there aren’t any opportunities for people who work in chippies or in the catering sector and that simply isn’t true.
If you can find an employer passionate about staff training, and you’re willing to get stuck in and work hard, you’ll find that this is one of the most rewarding jobs on offer.
We’re proud of where we’re from at The Bay and want to make sure we can keep serving up eco-friendly fish suppers for many years to come.
Come and see Calum talk at our Field to Frier Day. For free tickets email austen@chippychat.co.uk[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″ el_class=”sticky-container “][mnky_ads id=”3659”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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