Kiremko range at heart of Leeds institution’s re-birth

A Yorkshire leisure group has invested £1.1m to re-open Nash’s, a fish & chips restaurant which is a Leeds institution. Opposite the city’s Grand Theatre, the restaurant and takeaway had operated since 1963 in a stunning mock-Tudor building which dates back to the 1720’s – and was patronised by theatre stars. The autographs of stars like John Pertwee and Glenda Jackson, and members of the Royal Ballet, have been preserved on the walls of an anteroom. However the restaurant, and adjacent Lounge bar, had stood empty and unloved for a few years, until Inn Leisure moved in and breathed new life into the buildings. And to its credit, the group has carefully restored things to the way it used to be … even to the extent of bringing back some of the former Nash’s restaurant waitresses.

Says manager Sean O’Neill, “In fairness, the building did need a huge amount of restoration – but the façade, and the interior, are so stunning that it demanded that it be brought back to life the way it used to be, again offering simple fish and chips to the people of Leeds, but to the highest quality.” The frying and prep areas have seen a total re-gutting and refurbishment, with a stunning five pan high efficiency KFE Kiremko range at the heart of the operation. With the new owners already running a hospitality group, they’ve brought in trained chefs … with an intensive three-day training programme, to introduce them to the new range.

“We had friends and family eating free for a couple of days, while we fine-tuned the frying,” says head chef Sarah Huggett, pictured here with Sean O’Neill. “The Kiremko range is a superb piece of equipment, very user-friendly, and after a couple of weeks’ operation it’s taken everything in its stride without breaking sweat. In fact, even though we already have customers queuing out of the door for Friday lunch, we’re coping comfortably with just three of the five frying pans.”

Sarah’s fine dining background isn’t compromised by now working in a fish shop. “We’re producing the finest fish & chips you’ll get anywhere,” she says. “Where else offers only fresh line-caught haddock from sustainable fishing grounds, totally traceable to the fisherman who caught it? We’re after restoring the Nash’s reputation – and with the help of Kiremko, we’re getting there.”

Fryer & Fast Food - November 2009