Octopus, bath tubs and generosity: The Scallop Shell quirks

The Scallop Shell has come a long way since chef Garry Rosser first opened its doors 11 years ago. What began as a small, farm-based takeaway near Frome, Somerset, quickly outgrew its humble beginnings and relocated to the heart of Bath, where it now operates as a 96-cover restaurant spread across three floors, complete with a stunning roof terrace.

It’s not just the premises that have evolved. The menu, once focused purely on fish and chips, has expanded to showcase a wide variety of grilled fish and shellfish, all sustainably sourced — much from the south coast, alongside supplies from Peterhead and Tarbert on Loch Fyne. Potatoes are peeled and chipped on site daily, sauces and salads are made in-house, and every plate is served with Garry’s trademark generosity. This approach has earned The Scallop Shell a host of accolades, including an AA Rosette and the title of Fish & Chip Restaurant of the Year in 2016, as well as the admiration of renowned chef and family friend Marco Pierre White, who calls it his “favourite restaurant in Wiltshire and Somerset”.

As a World Heritage city, Bath brings The Scallop Shell a diverse customer base, including loyal locals, returning regulars and international visitors. “We could never have anticipated it, but we’ve attracted a very large Asian market that loves shellfish and fish, and a huge American market that loves the traditionalness of fish and chips,” says Garry.

This demand has expanded the menu to include more grilled fish and shellfish, such as Cornish sole, skate, monkfish, mussels, scallops, and oysters. “If cod and haddock are on the menu, they will fly,” says Garry. “They are still the main draw, but grilled fish and shellfish are the wow factor.” Today, sales are split roughly 60/40 between fish and chips and other seafood dishes.

What sets The Scallop Shell apart from Bath’s crowded dining scene is a mix of quirks, quality and Garry’s instinct to do things differently. The roll-top ice bath displaying fresh fish, for example, was a happy accident. “It was honestly a mistake,” Garry laughs, explaining how an architect pressed him for counter dimensions just as he spotted a copper bath in a shop window. Unable to afford it, he bought an old roll-top on eBay for £30. “It just became brilliant through no thought and now it’s quite iconic.”

Equally distinctive is Garry’s willingness to champion under-utilised species. An early advocate of hake, he continues to feature fish that are both sustainable and affordable, keeping prices fair without compromising quality.

Influencing the menu at the moment is climate change, as Garry explains: “We’re seeing species now we either rarely saw or never saw, and they’re coming in much more regularly as our waters warm. Two that come to mind are octopus and gilt-head sea bream. We normally only see them around October, but we're seeing them now in August and they're superb. To enjoy them this time of year, you’d have to go to Spain, Portugal or southern France.”

For Garry, generosity is non-negotiable and unlike many restaurateurs, he refuses to portion by weight. “I don’t weigh anything,” he says. “I portion to the eye. It’s cut on generosity. I have to put myself on that plate and ask, would I be happy with that? If I’m not, then the customer won’t be.”

His responsiveness to changing tastes is another factor in the restaurant’s success. While The Scallop Shell isn’t marketed as a health concept, it offers a variety of lighter options, in particular salads. “People want to eat lighter, and fish with a salad feels right. We’re not pushing superfoods, but we are cooking what feels right for the customer and what we enjoy doing.”

Perhaps the restaurant’s most effective marketing tool has been its Fishermen’s Lunch, which includes fish, chips, mushy peas, tartare sauce and a mug of Yorkshire tea for £15.

“There’s nothing worse than having an empty restaurant,” says Garry. “This fills the restaurant, but more than that, it attracts people who maybe only eat out once a week. Sometimes it’s not all about profit, it’s about being nice to people.”

For Garry, he views this as a better investment than advertising, adding: “We don't spend any money on magazine advertising. I’d rather put that money into the restaurant with our Fishermen’s Lunch. It brings the customers and lets the customers judge.”

Consistency is another reason The Scallop Shell has seen growth. For 11 years, it has relied on Ceres products, particularly its Natural Batter Mix. Garry recalls how Ceres founder Stelios came down to help him get set up: “I like using individual, small companies. I like to know the person at the end of a telephone. But it was more than that, Stelios came down and helped us in the early days, which was huge because, although we knew what we wanted to achieve, we knew very little about fish and chips.”

While many chip shops experiment with batter recipes, Garry prefers to rely on specialists. “We’re not experts in fish and chips. We haven't been in this industry long enough to start to playing around with our own flours, we haven't got years of history where it's been passed down through the family. We work with the experts in the industry, listen to them, and from that Ceres has created an excellent and consistent batter that customers love.”

Today, Garry still trusts Ceres for its quality and clean-label approach, lightening the batter with lager — “water is boring,” he insists — and seasoning it with vinegar and salt before running it through a Ceres Flow Cup.

The Scallop Shell’s curry sauce comes from Ceres too, adapted from a recipe Garry once made in-house. He comments: “We were making our own curry sauce, and it was really lovely, a traditional curry sauce with spices and apple and chutney and tomatoes. When we learned that Ceres could make us something bespoke that came very close and all we had to do was add water, it just didn’t make sense to keep making it ourselves. Their version is very close, it’s cost-effective, and the profit margins are superb. Labour is so expensive now, too, that it just makes sense.”

Expansion has also played a role in The Scallop Shell’s continued success. Next door, Garry recently opened Sydney’s, a Mediterranean bar and restaurant serving tapas-style breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“The fact it was next door was key in our decision to expand,” he says. “Sometimes we’re left with pieces of fish at The Scallop Shell that aren’t quite right for a main portion. Sydney’s gives us the chance to use those cuts, creating goujons, fishcakes and plates under a tenner.”

Run with just one chef and built around small plates, Sydney’s not only reduces waste but also spreads costs across a wider base. “Having one chef is key because that's what's killing lots of businesses now. Staff costs are huge so the more you cut down on labour costs, the easier it is.”

With both restaurants growing, Garry is optimistic about the future. “We’re getting better every day,” he says, “and that’s the most important thing.”