Alan batters the opposition with his perfect fish supper

IT seems like a simple formula - fish, chips and mushy peas, sprinkled with salt and sauce and wrapped up in newspaper.

When 50 chefs come together to cook the perfect plate of Britain's favourite grub though, the battle of the batter becomes a fine art.

Edinburgh-based chef Alan Matthew discovered that going back to basics works best when faced with having to create a top supper.

He was crowned the winner of the competition, held by the Marriott Hotel.

Alan, who heads the kitchen at the The Dalmahoy Hotel, said he kept his food straightforward and traditional to secure the prize.

He said: "I had no intention to reinvent the wheel. I think the key is not to over-complicate a dish like fish and chips.

"There were loads of experiments going on around me.

"Some people were putting herbs and seasoning in the batter, some were flavouring their fish and chips with Indian spices and one person broke down the tartare sauce into its individual components to make some dipping sauces.

"Another made a chutney and used a pickled egg as a garnish, but I just made sure I used a high quality, sustainable fish and I cut the chips thick.

"The only secret was to make sure the oil was hot enough and that the fish was cooked a bit longer that normal so the batter went crisp."

He added: "I've always loved making fish. I think it's good to be able to cook it properly because the degree of skill is always a lot higher. It keeps you on your toes."

Alan, 47, gave his dish a unique touch by serving the fish supper under a sheet designed to look like a newspaper, which was filled with articles about the importance of sustainable fishing.

The top chef, from Inverkeithing, won the Scottish heat of the national competition on 11 June.

He then took part in the ultimate fry-off against five other chefs 10 days later at the Renaissance Chancery Court Hotel in London.

The final dishes were judged by Chris Leftwich, Chief Inspector at Billingsgate Fish Market and Food critic and writer Charles Campion, along with Marriott UK's Director of Culinary, Gregg Brown.

From September, his winning dish will be rolled out in Marriot Hotels across the UK.

Alan admitted he had been a little embarrassed about his win, because he had organised the Scottish heat.

He said: "I guess it could look a little funny to an outsider, but I had absolutely nothing to do with the judging and they didn't know it was my dish. It was fair and square.

"I think the judges, in the end, were won by simplicity and the way it looked like the traditional dish you'd pick up from the chippy."