THE annual fish and chips Oscars, run by Seafish, the authority on seafood, kicked off last week with a new look and name.

Giovanni Fionda, owner of Atlantic Fast Food, the current holder of the Fish & Chip Shop of the Year title, launched the awards from his shop in Coatbridge. He is urging all UK fish and chip shops to enter after seeing a staggering 100% increase in business since winning in January.

The new awards format has been developed following extensive consultation with industry. There is a new microsite dedicated to the awards offering friers information on all the awards and downloadable entry forms. The forms will also feature as inserts in many trade publications. The judging process has been revamped making the first stage a paper judging round, following by two further rounds of judging visits. The awards have also been rebranded to reflect the modern fish frying trade.

Giovanni said: “Winning the UK title has transformed our business. The accolade has given us a platform to market our shop to a wider audience and to motivate and inspire staff to provide the highest quality service possible. 2009/2010 was only the second time we had entered the competition so it just goes to show everyone has the chance to impress the judges.

“My biggest piece of advice for shops looking to enter is to put in what you expect to get out. You’ve got to work hard to get the correct level of standards. But it’s absolutely worth it – these past three months have been a whirlwind for me and the team and we are looking forward to another year of strong business growth.”

Several new award categories have been introduced for the 2011 Awards including Best Foodservice Outlet Serving Fish and Chips and Best Newcomer Award.

James Wood, marketing and communications manager at Seafish said: “The competition has a completely new look and feel and will open doors for fish and chip shops of all sizes across the UK. Our experience has shown that winning at the area, regional and national level can bring enormous benefits to shops both from a business and staff morale point of view.”

Shops interested in taking part can find more information and entry forms at www.fishandchipawards.com