Biography
We take a look at how the fish and the chip first came together, and how the dish soon established itself as a national favourite.
The Basics
The gastronomic institution that is fish and chips is one of those icons that couldn't be more unmistakably part of our culture, and yet has its origins in a mixture of foreign influences. Fried fish made its way into northern Europe from the cooking of Spain and Portugal, while the innovation of deep-frying potatoes cut into "chips" can probably be credited to the Belgians.
A Match Made in Heaven
The original takeaway food of England established itself as a national dish some time in the second half of the 19th century. Fried fish had been eaten for many centuries, but its combination with deep-fried chipped potatoes appears to be an invention of the Victorian era. And although it came to be seen the world over as a typically English dish, the origins of its component parts in fact lie in continental Europe.
