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Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge who was slammed last month for selling pricey fish and chips while the country battles a cost of living crisis has defended the high price tag.

The TV chef, who owns a string of restaurants, sells battered fish and eight chips for a staggering £35 at Kerridge’s Fish and Chips at Harrods in London.

Speaking to Radio Times, he explained the sourcing and preparation of the fish and potatoes is different from your usual chippy because it’s ‘bespoke dining’.

He said that people criticise him because he’s ‘seen as a man of the people’, but that they ‘don’t understand’ the pricing structure. 

Tom Kerridge , who owns a string of restaurants across the UK, has now defended selling fish and chips for £35

Tom Kerridge , who owns a string of restaurants across the UK, has now defended selling fish and chips for £35

He went on to explain why it doesn’t cost as much at your local chippy.

‘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.’

He said that what customers are served at Harrods is ‘line-caught, day-boat turbot’ with potatoes that are selected for their sugar and starch content and hand cut, adding: ‘It’s bespoke dining.’

It’s far from the first time the chef has been criticised for prices of his dishes – after selling £87 steak dinners and £60 ready-made fish pie. 

The row initially broke out when Tom shared a snap of the mal on Instagram, saying: ‘This Market Day Fish is made with my light and crisp, gluten free batter and served with triple cooked chips.

Tom's notorious chippy dish defended selling one battered fish and eight chips on a plate with tartar sauce

Tom’s notorious chippy dish defended selling one battered fish and eight chips on a plate with tartar sauce 

The 'Market Day Fish' (circled) dish is sold at one of his restaurants at Harrods in London

The ‘Market Day Fish’ (circled) dish is sold at one of his restaurants at Harrods in London

‘It includes Matson curry sauce, tartare sauce and pease pudding’ he added.

Unfortunately it’s done little to calm angry Brits who lambasted the price as insensitive during a time of economic hardship. 

One person sarcastically wrote: ‘The whole of the UK is in a shambles financially. But £35 for a scrawny bit of fish and seven or eight chips is fine… Oh and the thimbles of sauce.’ 

Another added: ‘Eight chips and a tiny thin bit of fish? This is pretentious b***cks’.

Meanwhile one person urged Brits to back their local chippies, writing: ‘How much? Just go to the local chippy, so much better quality’.

‘Or just go to the chip shop and pay a fiver’ said another.

Also in disbelief at the price, someone wrote: ‘Ridiculous price to charge. Especially with the cost-of-living-crisis.

‘Shame on them’.

One other person said: ‘Wafer thin fish and eight chips. Television chefs are all becoming so out of touch with Joe Public’.

Still, one person was keen to find out what all the fuss is about, writing: ‘Just waiting for the remortgage application to come through and I’ll be there.’

Another person didn’t mind the price, adding: ‘This is going to be the best fish and chips you’ll have in your whole life.’

Although most customers questioned the value of the pricey dish, a rare few defended it, with one saying it was the 'best fish and chips you'll have in your whole life'

Although most customers questioned the value of the pricey dish, a rare few defended it, with one saying it was the ‘best fish and chips you’ll have in your whole life’

The famous chef has appeared on TV shows like Masterchef and Saturday Kitchen, and runs eight restaurants including Hand and Flowers and The Coach both in Marlow, Buckinghamshire. 

The outrage follows a recent report indicating that half of the UK’s chippies could shut down by 2025.

It is due to owners struggling to cope with rising energy bills and supply shortages.

Similarly, a historic chip shop which has been serving customers in a Derbyshire town for over 60 years is closing due to the cost of living crisis.

Owner Dennis Jackson, 84, said his age and the rising cost of food and energy were behind the decision to shut Jackson’s Chippie in Ilkeston.

He said the last couple of years had been difficult. Chip shops have been particularly hit, due to the cost of sunflower oil and energy. He said the price of fish went up by £100 in the space of a fortnight, while the shop’s gas bill is set to quadruple.

He said: ‘It was a bit of a shock. You can’t absorb that sort of price increase so you’d just got to pass it on. That made my fish instead of being £3.60 it went up to £6. We had to put £2.40 on it just to stand still,’ he said.

Add on chips and it’s currently £7.80.

‘I think it’s cheap compared to other shops but for a lot of people it’s made it too expensive so trade’s not so good. Fish and chips should be the cheapest meal out, but it’s a struggle for a lot of people.

‘Anybody can stand here and give the stuff away, but you still need to make a bit of profit at the end of the day’.

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Post source: Daily mail