A Brief History

The National Federation of Fish Friers has been in existence since 1913. Its Memorandum of Association lays down its objects as to promote, protect, and enforce the rights and interests of its members and others engaged, interested in or connected with the trade.

Organisations such as this must constantly evolve to keep up with the times and the Federation of today offers far more support to those fish friers and prospective fish friers of today than ever in the past.

Fifty years ago, 1958 to be precise, the National Federation and the old White Fish Authority ( the for-runner of the Sea Fish Industry Authority) acknowledged the fact that fish friers came into business with little or no experience in preparing and cooking fish and chips or managing a business. They took steps to address the situation by holding training courses at various colleges around the country consisting of half a day a week over four weeks. These courses, covering business management, marketing, food preparation and cooking proved to be very popular and eventually lead to the Federation creating its first dedicated training school in Cleethorpes some ten years later. This school ran courses over a Sunday and Monday once a month until 1992 when the National Federation purchased the premises it now owns in the Meanwood area of Leeds.

The Federation’s Training School in Leeds

This has allowed the NFFF to create a full size training school comprising of a lecture room, a preparation room large enough to contain fish cutting facilities, individual batter making equipment, a potato prep area with full size modern potato peeling and chipping machinery. All this complimented by a deep freeze, defrosting cabinet and a fish keeper.

There is also a large frying room containing two modern frying ranges which allows trainees to experience a wide variety of options such as standard frying and high efficiency methods using both baskets and free frying techniques cooking in either vegetable frying medium or beef dripping.

It is important that trainees learn not only how to prepare and fry fish and chips, but, the simple science behind why certain methods are vital if a person is going to offer the customer high quality low fat food.

A vital part of the training offered is recognition that different areas of the UK have differing opinions on how they like their fish and chips cooked and the size of the portion they are offered. The considerable years of experience offered by the trainers allows them to offer sound advice on how to meet these demands.

Three Day Training Courses

The Federation offers three day courses once a month (dates can be found on the NFFF web site. www.federationoffishfriers.co.uk) they commence at 12 noon on the Monday closing that day at 7pm, recommencing at 9am on the Tuesday until 5pm. On the Wednesday the course starts again at 9am with a final finish at approximately 4pm.

On completion of the course trainees receive a Certificate endorsed by the Federation and the Sea Fish Industry Authority.

The course syllabus is as follows :-

Day 1 Registration, Personal Hygiene, Practical Session (preparation of raw materials), Oils and fats – frying range management, Practical session (cooking raw materials), Meal Break, Discussion on raw materials.

Day 2 Health and Safety, Practical session, Prepare and Cook raw materials, Meal break, Cleaning, Food Hygiene to include HACCP. CIEH Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering ( for those previously indicating, when booking the course, a wish to sit the exam ).

Day 3 Keeping Accounts and dealing with VAT (Includes costing your product. Practical session (preparation and cooking) includes filtering of oil techniques, Cleaning, portion control and wrapping options.

Close at four after presentation of Certificates.

One Day Courses

We also offer one day courses booked for days that are convenient to trainee and trainer. These are practical courses designed for people with either a catering background or retail experience, they also suit businesses wishing to have staff trained in best practice. They cover raw material purchase, preparation and cooking together oil management techniques with support notes and include portion control and wrapping options.

These courses commence usually at 9am and end at 4pm. A certificate again is presented and is endorsed by the NFFF and The Sea Fish Industry Authority

Bespoke Training

The Federation offers a facility to design courses to fit particular businesses and often delivers awareness courses to companies wishing to educate their sales or service staff to the way in which fish friers run their businesses. These courses include watching the preparation and cooking of their lunch (fish and chips of course) with an opportunity to try their hand.

Food Safety and Health & Safety Training

We offer distance learning packages designed by the Sea Fish Industry Authority and approved by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Heath covering Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering and Level 2 Health and Safety. The course work can be completed at home with the exam sat when attending one of our courses.

For costs see the NFFF web site or Phone for details to 0113 2307044