Chef Tom Kerridge is facing backlash for his restaurant's £60 fish and chips dish, with diners accusing him of being out of touch with public sentiment. The upscale offering at The Hand and Flowers in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, includes caviar tartare sauce and minted pea purée. However, the portion is served with only 17 chips, a detail that has fueled online criticism, with some calling the chef's pricing "out of the plot."
The Saturday or Sunday lunch menus at The Hand and Flowers are priced at £95 for two courses. Based on the main course being double the cost of a starter, the fish and chips dish is estimated to cost around £60. This price point is nearly six times the average cost of fish and chips from a typical UK chippy, which is currently £10.29.
Kerridge, a chef with three Michelin stars who has appeared on television programs such as MasterChef and Saturday Kitchen, described the dish as a "pub classic, but elevated." He stated, "The Hand and Flowers Fish and Chips with Caviar Tartare Sauce and Minted Pea Purée, perfect to enjoy from our Saturday lunchtime or Sunday menu."
However, diners have expressed skepticism about the value. "It's just fish and chips, not worth £60," commented Lewis McIntosh. Others questioned the portion size, with one user asking, "What's for main course?"
This is not the first time Kerridge's pricing has drawn controversy. In 2021, a fish and chips dish sold at Harrods for £35, which later increased to £37, also faced criticism. Kerridge defended the higher prices, arguing that diners seeking "cheap and cheerful" options should go elsewhere. He told The Times, "If you're getting the best you can get, that's how much it is."
In June, Kerridge was also criticized for a £27.50 burger at his restaurant The Coach, also in Marlow, which reportedly required a knife and fork to eat. Kerridge owns six pubs and restaurants across the South East and London.
