Top chip shops named

Tauranga takeaways have been highly commended in this year's best chip shop competition.

The Queen Vic Chippy in Cambridge took was named the top chip shop in the Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay areas in the 2013 Best Chip Shop Competition.

Tauranga's Welcome Bay Takeaway, on Welcome Bay Rd, Pleasant Valley Takeaways on Merivale Rd and Papamoa Fast Food Domain Takeaway and Oceanview Takeaways, both on Papamoa Beach Rd were all highly commended in the competition.

Queen Vic Chippy owners Amanda Duggan and Bernie Hilbers are now waiting to hear if the shop, renowned for its crisp, golden chips, will also win the national Best Chip Shop Competition Champion 2013 title.

The competition, run by The Chip Group every second year, is a chance for chip shops to showcase the quality of their product.

Food educator and Chip Group Chair Glenda Gourley said judges were looking for the shops serving the most delicious hot chips, with the lowest possible fat content.

"Kiwis love hot chips so it is very important that not only are they delicious but that they have the minimum fat content," said Glenda.

"When the potato leaves the paddock they are around 0.1 per cent fat. When they leave the processing plant they are 3-5 per cent fat. By the time the chip is ready to eat it can be 22 per cent fat."

All entrants' chips were analysed by an independent laboratory. The winners and highly commended recipients' chips all had a fat content of less than nine per cent.

"This is awesome," said Glenda. "It gives customers confidence that the operator follows industry standards and knows what they are doing. The skill of the operator has a huge impact on the chip."

Entrants were also judged on chip taste, quality, shop cleanliness and customer service.