We are fortunate to have Gary and Simone Hodgkinson join us on the podcast today. Gary and Simone are the owners and operators of The British Chippy. They currently have two locations, one in beautiful Okotoks and the other in Calgary.

“Gary and Simone emigrated to Calgary (from Manchester) in 2001. They have a long family history in the Fish & Chip business, as Gary’s Great Grandparents opened their first Fish & Chip Shop in Wigan, England, in 1915. The business has been in Gary’s family ever since. Now, he is keeping the tradition alive by doing it here in Calgary and Okotoks” Gary and Simone missed “traditional British Style Fish & Chips (and mushy peas). However, the longing for good ole fashioned Fish & Chips led them to take a leap of faith in 2009 and move into the restaurant business.” As Simone mentioned in the podcast, “food is memory/food is an association and an emotional attachment.

Gary and Simone have a passion for healthy lifestyles and take the Homemade Fish & Chips tradition and add a modern-day twist with their Organic Potatoes, Wild Caught Fish, and Non-GMO Oil. They wanted to keep the food simple and do it well. They had to start from the ground up to try and reproduce what they loved and missed so much about fish and chips without having the exact produce or equipment.

Gary and Simone are incredibly passionate about fish and chips, and the quality of their food and where it comes from are crucial to them. They did eat fish and chips for two years straight and are still in love with the meal. Their relationship advice for working with your spouse is to allow each other to shine, not be in competition, and adore each other’s qualities; they are different but respect each other’s differences.

Robyn also asked her favorite question about the advice you would give to your younger self: Get your pricing correct from the start and they would do it all over again; keep smiling, no regrets, don’t be afraid, go for it, don’t over think it and do your best.

If you have a disposition for Fish and Chips and English accents, today is your lucky day, and you won’t be disappointed in this lighthearted episode. So, if you love what you hear, please like, share, and subscribe to help us grow. ENJOY