Crunch is king for Christchurch school teacher Alby Wilson, who reviews fish-and-chip shops on the YouTube channel 1Fish1Scoop.
Christchurch fish-and-chip reviewer Alby Wilson - @1Fish1Scoop Photo: YouTube screenshot
In his review videos, Wilson visits any establishment that sells fish and chips and orders one piece of standard fish and one scoop of chips.
He gives each kai a review between 0 and 7 that's based on seven factors:
- Cost (including size of scoop)
- Crunch - "I love crunchy chips and crunchy batter on the fish"
- Fish-to-batter ratio
- Taste
- The vibe of the shop
- How he's feeling at the time
Wilson, who is a teacher and deputy principal at Rolleston College, says 1Fish1Scoop was a lockdown idea.
"I guess I spent too much time watching food reviews on YouTube… I figured fish and chips is one of my favourite foods. Why not try that?
"As a kid growing up, fish and chips was always that once-a-week takeaway, a special treat … The key thing for me is [the fish and chips] have got to deliver that nostalgia moment, to bring me back to my childhood days."
Wilson visits each shop unannounced then his wife and cameraperson films him giving a review outside and sometimes chatting to the owners.
Early on, he realised his foodie vocab needed some expansion.
"I was like 'It's crunchy'. 'It's hot.' Thankfully being a teacher, I went to the food department and worked on some description words."
Wilson is just one of many fish-and-chip aficionados Ōtautahi Christchurch - and the 22K members of the Facebook group Christchurch Fish & Chip Reviews keep an eye on his scoring.
"There's a lot of connoisseurs in Christchurch and they are hardcore. They let me know if I am too generous or not generous enough."The highest score he's awarded so far was a 6.9 to the Chip Shop in Prebbleton, just outside of Christchurch.
"It was quick and easy, the fish was amazing and a good portion of chips."
