A total of 16 chefs, sous chefs and kitchen hands from a range of different University Colleges attended the Chip Group Training Session.

Students from St Margarets College, Knox College and Salmond College will reap the benefits of this training, with the aim to serve chips (and other deep fried food) with a lower fat content.

They found the session very informative and left discussing the different types of oil and what changes they may need to make. As well as sharing their horror stories about finding old magazines in Fish and Chip waiting rooms dating back to 1992!

The next plan is to head back down to Dunedin later in the year and train the remaining twelve Halls of Residence. These chefs are responsible for serving over 10,000 meals every day to Otago University Students – all of whom will benefit from healthier chips.

If you know of a store or group of people that would benefit from The Chip Group Training – do not hesitate to get in touch!

Contact Kate – 022 066 8711

Email: [email protected]

Here is a wee snippet from the article…  

It’s no secret that the best quality chips are cooked in the best quality oil.

But hot oil can be seriously dangerous if it’s not being well looked after. Which is why it’s so important to ensure your oil is safe to use for deep-frying.

The Chip Group’s list of Approved Oils have been tested to ensure they meet a strict criteria – they are suitable for foodservice deep frying and are better for your customers health. Here are a few reasons why choosing an Approved oil is a worthy investment.

Why is oil a safer option than fat?

• Operators agree that oil is far easier to handle than solids.
• Oil takes less time for the heating process.
• Using liquid oil gives you more flexibility in your busy schedule for when you discard it.

To read the rest of the article check it out here.

Remember if you would like some copies for yourself or a bunch for your ‘customer waiting area’ let me know and I can send them your way!

We had a great turn out with around 60 guests from oil producers, to packagers, to distributors, to media and various other fields. Our intention was to present The Chip Group’s plan going forward, to provide an insight into why we exist, to draw attention to the importance of what we are doing and finally to provide the opportunity for other companies to get involved and support our mission!

There is no denying that levels of Obesity throughout New Zealand are rising rapidly. Our large consumption of deep-fried chips means that by improving frying practices and reducing fat in this widely consumed food group – we can do our bit to improve the health of our country.

We were pleased to hear such positive support and a big thanks must go to everyone who took the time out to attend this forum! We look forward to sharing with you all which new businesses and companies are now on board… ‘Working together for better chips’.

If you missed the forum and are interested in getting involved in The Chip Group. Contact Kate: 022 066 8711 or Email: [email protected]

As part of my induction plan and discovering the in’s and out’s of The Chip Group I was given a personalised guided tour of the Bakels Oil Factory in Mount Maunganui.

This factory houses 120 staff and runs 24/7 pumping out every blend of oil you can imagine! They have a major focus on quality, and as well as providing frying medium for foodservice they are also responsible for Quick Service Restaurants including McDonalds, KFC and Burger King.

Bakels Oils supply three Approved Oils that meet our Industry Standards. These brands include Alfa One Rice Bran Oil, Chefs Gold Cottonseed Oil and Bakels Ultrafry. These are all top quality products and we are always encouraging retailers to make the move to these ‘healthier oils’.

For more information check out our List of Approved Oils. Or better yet go back over the online training in Module 8 that covers ‘Frying Oils’ to refresh your memory.

Remember if you have any questions or concerns about anything Chip related, do not hesitate to contact me. Kate

But if you just can’t resist the taste of a good chip, then look for chunkier cuts or potato wedges with the skin on. These soak up less fat than shoe-string or crinkle-cut chips and with the skin on they retain all their good nutrients. If your baking them at home some pre-made chip brands are better than others and can be relatively low in fat with only 3-5%, even lower when oven-baked instead of fried.

The Chip Group was created with the goal to serve the tastiest and healthiest chips possible. The Industry Standards are set in place ‘To improve the nutritional quality of chips sold in NZ.” Our standards include advice on which oils to use, keeping the oil in top condition, appropriate serving size and adequate drainage time. By following these guidelines you can reduce the fat content by around 10%.

Straight from the paddock a potato is just about free of fat, and our goal is to keep it as low as possible. Members of The Chip Group are dedicated to serving up chips that are better for both you and your family. So make sure you support those retailers that are doing the right thing by your chips.

As a way of making it easier for foodservice operators and chefs to choose better deep-frying oils, this list contains brands of oils that have been approved by the Chip Group. These oils have been analysed by independent laboratories.

• Alfa One Rice Bran Oil
• Chefs Gold Cottonseed Oil
• Cookright Hi Lo Canola Oil
• Cookright Tasty Fry Canola Oil
• Cookright Cottonseed Oil
• Cookright Rice Bran Oil
• Peerless Formula 40 Cottonseed Oil
• Peerless Sunbeam Cottonseed Oil

To find out what criteria they have to meet check out…  what makes a good oil.