393: A surprisingly un-British story - the history of fish and chips

In this episode of the Food Matters Live podcast, we are delving into the history of one of Britain’s favourite dishes. If you are already smelling salt, vinegar, and tartare sauce, you have guessed right…   Fish and Chips is an absolute British classic and a colossal earner for the food industry. 382 million portions are sold every year by fish and chip shops alone, and Britain has 8,600 of those.     And whether you are at the local chippy, a pub, or a high-end restaurant, it is usually on the menu in some form, countless variations on a very simple theme. But why are fish and chips so popular? Why do Brits love them so much? And, shock horror, is it even a British dish at all? Professor Panikos Panayi, De Montford University Panikos Panayi is Professor of European History at De Montfort University.  He has worked there since 1990 and has held a personal Chair since 1999.  He has published widely and his research fits into the following areas: the history of immigration and interethnic relations; the history of food; the First World War; German history; the history of London; and the history of the Cypriot people. His book "Fish and Chips: A Takeaway History" unwraps the origins, history and identity of Britain's most popular take-away.