INDUSTRY COMES TOGETHER FOR SECOND EVENT PAYING TRIBUTE TO POTATO FRYING METHODS – WITH A POTATO SACK RACE TO FINISH!
A WORLDWIDE celebration of chips and french fries recently took place, attracting participants from Britain, Europe and further afield.
Potato breeder IPM was amongst those celebrating after its Belami variety was a winner for a team from the Agro-Environmental Campus. It had been selected by the team because of its taste and flavour characteristics that were felt to stand out compared to a range of varieties grown at the agricultural school.
Following the success of the first event in October 2023, the second Championnat du Monde de la Frite (World French Fries Championships) took place in Arras, Northern France, drawing a crowd of 50,000 people, with chefs and enthusiasts competing to showcase their creations in six different categories.
Candidates faced off in six categories: Authentic fries; family fries; creative fries (using an original recipe relating to shape or cooking method); global fries (as eaten in the country of the world they represent); fries of promise (made by hospitality students accompanied by their teacher); and fry sauce of the year (one hot and one cold sauce, made using unprocessed ingredients).
Each candidate prepared 1.5kg of fries or 1.5 litres of sauce in 70 minutes and presented the jury with six small portions in serving trays supplied by the organiser. The jury was made up of professionals and chip lovers with each category winner awarded a trophy and €400 prize.
As well as chips/fries stands, there was a potato sack race.
The area’s connection to chips and french fries has been forged since the 16th century when local botanist, Charles de l’Écluse, grew the then little-known plant from Peru in his experimental gardens, hoping to make them popular with European lords. There are now around 1,400 French fry stalls in France and 55% of these can be found in the Hauts-de-France region.
Photo: Alex Hussein
