As the weeks count down to its attendance at The National Fish & Chip Awards 2026 in London later this month, where it will compete against other fish & chip restaurants across the country in the prestigious Best Newcomer category, The Crab & Lobster Fish Shack in South Queensferry has announced it’s been given the honour of hosting the Fish & Chip industry’s premier charity dinner.
A leading fundraiser for The Fishermen’s Mission, having in the past raised up to £14.5k, the KFE On a Mission Dinner is the culmination of a three day event, held in March. Ten of the nation’s finest fish & chip operators offer hands on training sessions to others looking to boost their skills across the industry, in return for the participants making a donation to the charity.
A national charity that supports fishermen and their families, The Fishermen’s Mission has been looking after the health and well-being of fishermen for over 140 years, providing practical, financial and emotional support, including a 24/7 emergency service to assist with accidents or illness at sea.
This year’s “KFE On a Mission” event has added significance as 2026 marks organiser KFE’s 30 year anniversary as a leading supplier of premier frying equipment to the trade.
KFE chooses a finalist restaurant from those nominated in the National Fish & Chip Awards, to lay on a meal for everyone involved in the collaborative training and networking. Coming from every corner of the UK, it’s a chance for them to sit down, relax, and enjoy delicious fish & chips together after the hard work is done.
This year’s dinner is taking place at the Crab & Lobster Fish Shack on Wednesday 25th March, with the restaurant closed to the public for the evening.
“It’s a real honour for us to be chosen to host this celebratory KFE On a Mission Dinner, ahead of many other leading operators across the country who are all involved in the National Fish & Chip Awards,” said Bryan Coghill, owner of the Crab & Lobster Fish Shack, headed up by his son, Jack, and other family members. “We can’t wait to welcome these VIP guests to Scotland, where they can try our finest fish and seafood!”
“We’re really looking forward to laying on the meal, and to mixing with this cross-section of our industry, the cream of the crop in fish & chips, so to speak!” continued Bryan. “There is always something new to learn from one another, no matter how experienced we are.”
Bryan also went on to say: “None of us involved in this industry, whether running a fish & chip restaurant, a take-away, or a mobile van, would have a business, were it not for our fishermen, risking their lives on a daily basis to bring us all fresh fish and seafood. As such, I can’t think of a more worthy charity to support in this project than the Fishermen’s Mission.”
Along with their donations for the training, those taking part in “KFE On a Mission” further boost the total handed over to the Fishermen’s Mission by buying their tickets (priced at £75pp) for the celebration dinner, which also includes a charity auction.
Prizes, donated from fish & chip suppliers all over the country, include a tonne of batter, a Bold batter mixer, cases of fish, and gift vouchers.
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Having only opened last June, The Crab & Lobster Fish Shack was thrilled, when in October last year, it received the nomination for Best Newcomer in the National Fish & Chip Awards.
“It’s a major achievement for our team in such a short space of time,” said Bryan. “The Best Newcomer is always a heavily contested category. We’re absolutely delighted to have got through to the final three. We will head down to London, proudly representing Scotland, hoping to clinch the title and have it sit alongside our Forth One Restaurant of the Year Award that we won last November. It will be an absolute privilege to host this very special dinner for KFE, an evening we will never forget.”
Tanya Henderson, Managing Director at KFE, added: “We are delighted to end our KFE On a Mission with a fundraising dinner at The Crab & Lobster Fish Shack. It’s a standout restaurant doing something different while staying true to great fish and chips. It is the perfect place for everyone to unwind after the three-day event, share their experiences and support a charity that means so much to our industry. A big thank you to the team at The Crab & Lobster Fish Shack for hosting us.”
