3 minute read

Save The Last Dance for me!

FREE Chippy Industry

20 Questions with Carlo Crolla, owner of East Coast Fish & Chips Takeaway and Restaurant, Musselburgh, East Lothian, Scotland

1. What is your connection to fish & chips?

The Crolla family has been serving the local community from our fish and chips takeaway for nearly 50 years. Styles may change, but great flavours, family heritage and warm, friendly service remain as important to me and my wife Katia today as they did 48 years ago.

2. What do you love most about fish & chips?

I love eating freshly cooked fish and chips in the salty sea air. East Coast Fish & Chips Takeaway is located just two minutes’ walk from Musselburgh beach and Fisherrow Harbour on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

3. What do you least like about the business?

The rapidly escalating costs. In March 2022, we supported the industry by teaming up with the National Federation of Fish Friers to launch a nationwide ‘Save Scotland’s Fish & Chip Shops’ campaign.

4. How do you support the local community?

East Coast continues to sponsor and support The Fisherrow and Harbour Seafront Association and Fisherrow Harbour Festival, which was launched in 2018. The Association is now working with East Lothian Council to improve the harbour and seafront in Musselburgh for the benefit of the community, local people and visitors through a series of ongoing fundraising events and voluntary activities just two minutes’ walk from our fish & chips takeaway.

5. What’s the best thing that happens in the fish & chips industry every year?

Being recognised for the consistent quality of our food and service is really important to us year in, year out. East Coast was named the best in Scotland and one of the top 10 in the UK by The Sunday Times in 2022. With an estimated 10,500 chippies across the UK, The Sunday Times singled out East Coast for the nation’s list of top 10 chippies and the only fish and chip shop in Scotland to make the shortlist. The Sunday Times praised the quality and value of our cod, haddock and twice-cooked chips, as well as our Stornoway black pudding fritters. We have won many awards, but this was probably our personal favourite for 2022.

6. What’s your specialist Mastermind subject? Juventus

7. What’s always in your fridge? Bottled water

8. What’s your favourite film?

Too many good films out there to single out just one. I like a film I can watch together with my wife and my 11-year-old son.

9. What was your first job? Working in the chippy of course.

10. Who do you admire most?

I admire anyone that can stare defeat in any circumstance in the face and come out of it undefeated.

11. What is your biggest indulgence?

The best quality local seafood and lobster from around Scotland’s coastline. It can be a bit expensive these days, but worth every penny.

12. What’s your worst character trait?

I often love food too much and my eyes are too big for my belly when it comes to good quality, wholesome comfort food like homemade pasta.

13. Where is your favourite holiday destination?

I’m Scottish/Italian. My family originate from the region of Lazio in southern Italy. This region of Italy holds so many happy memories for me and has influenced some of the dishes on our restaurant menu.

14. Best day of your life? The day our son was born.

15. What’s your favourite tipple?

Red wine in the colder months, white wine in the warmer months

16. What’s your hidden talent?

I’m a really good dancer, well so I’m told. I’m approaching 50 now and I still clear a dance floor, haha!

17. When were you most embarrassed?

Having my photo taken with a giant pantomime dame mermaid as part of a local community competition. We recently teamed up with our local theatre in the town to launch a new festive pantomime competition for children with a nautical twist.

To help promote the competition in the local newspapers, I reluctantly agreed to have my photograph taken with the lead pantomime dame, a giant mermaid called ‘Betty Brunton’.