Jack Coghill is no stranger to top-tier cuisine. Alongside his father, Bryan, he has spent years serving up fine dining experiences across Spain, Portugal, Madeira, and more recently at their award-winning restaurant, Jack ‘O’Bryan’s, in Dunfermline. But their latest venture, the 200-seater Crab & Lobster Fish Shack in South Queensferry, is something different. It’s family-friendly, offers value for money, and is built for volume.
“We’ve been in fine dining most of our lives,” says Jack. “But we wanted to create something more accessible. Fish and chips is the nation’s favourite, it’s affordable, comforting, and when done right, it’s unbeatable.”
Crab & Lobster Fish Shack, set in a former Frankie & Benny’s, provided the perfect layout for their vision. While Bryan has created a Hampton’s style interior, Jack has worked up a menu that combines classic haddock and chips with some of the best seafood, including seared scallops and grilled monkfish.
Needing equipment that could handle high volume service without compromising quality, the Coghills turned to KFE and Kiremko.
“We spoke to Gordon Hillan from KFE during lockdown when we were looking at doing takeaway fish and chips as a way to keep Jack ‘O’ Bryan’s open,” Jack recalls. “His knowledge is amazing and he’s just an incredible human being. When it came to this site, there was no question, we went with Kiremko.”
Jack chose a five pan high efficiency Kiremko wall range with a dedicated gluten free pan. “That was key for us,” he explains. “A lot of places offer gluten free at limited times. We wanted it available all day, every day, so having a separate pan was essential.”
Designed for efficiency, Jack says the range is “second to none,” adding: “It’s the best fryer I’ve ever worked with. It blows every other frying range out of the water.
“We’re doing nearly 150 covers Monday to Thursday and 200-plus on weekends. With 12 chip baskets constantly in use, it’s a smooth, rotating system that’s easy to stay on top of. You always know exactly what you’re doing.”
With a built-in Adieu grill and hob, chefs have everything they need within reach. “As well as excellent fish and chips, we wanted to give the customer a bit extra and do things like oysters, seared scallops and grilled monkfish. The frying range makes service so smooth. You’re not running back and forth to a separate kitchen,” he says.
“The grill is great for flashing squid and similar dishes as it’s powerful enough to cook evenly in just 10 seconds. I like that it has adjustable heat zones, so you can keep one side lower for things like sauces, without worrying about them splitting.”
Wanting an open kitchen so customers can see the action, the Kiremko creates a showpiece, fitting in perfectly. Jack adds: “The wall range is impressive. People come up to the pass all the time to have a look. It’s a piece of art.”
Before opening, Jack and Bryan visited KFE in Peterborough to see the range in action and attend its School of Frying Excellence. Feeling supported every step of the way, Jack adds: “It’s a lot of money to spend, and KFE listened. They helped design the kitchen to exactly what we needed. And if you’re someone without a chef background, the fact they offer training is huge.”
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