Inspiring fish fryers of the future
Pictured inspiring young Fish Friers of the future at South West College, Dungannon is (second from right) Malachy Mallon, owner of The Dolphin Takeaway with Michael Mooney, part-time lecturer in cookery and level 1 diploma students Kathleen Hughes and Thomas Crane who can now add the perfect Fish & Chips to their growing mix of skills.
Catering students at South West College in County Tyrone have a bright future thanks to the launch of a new business engagement initiative that aims to tap into local specialist knowledge in the catering industry.
South West College’s proactive new initiative got off to a sizzling start with a specialist fish and chip frying masterclass, held at the Dungannon campus, by local master fryer, Malachy Mallon from the award-winning Dolphin Takeaway. The Dolphin Takeaway recently scooped the title of Area Winner for Tyrone, Fermanagh and L’Derry in the 2015 National Fish and Chip Independent Takeaway Awards and is listed as one of the UK’s Top 20 best takeaways.
Twenty-one eager catering students discovered the recipe for award-winning fish and chips, during practical frying demonstrations which also highlighted key learning areas such as quality, hygiene and the importance of local suppliers and fish sustainability.
The College intends to roll out the Dolphin partnership to the Omagh and Enniskillen campuses, offering even more students specialist skills and insights from the takeaway industry, as well as inspiring a new generation of young fish fryers to explore opportunities in the fish and chip industry, which is now worth an estimated £1.2bn in the UK.
Malachy Mallon is delighted with the South West College partnership and his new voluntary role as a local ambassador for fish and chips. He told LCN:
“I’ve spent my career perfecting the ultimate fish and chips and I’m proud to say there’s 25 years of craftsmanship in every bite at The Dolphin. I’m excited to share my passion for the industry with the next generation, I’ve seen some very talented and eager young people at South West College and it would be great to see our home-grown students starting their own businesses , boosting our local economy and keeping their talent and skills at home.
“Fish and chips is a growing and highly promoted industry with over 10,500 specialist shops in the UK alone and fantastic professional support from bodies such as the National Federation of Fish Friers, Seafish and the Marine Stewardship Council.”
