A SCOTS town's cod war has escalated after a chip shop owner claimed he prepared the supper for television chef Rick Stein at the centre of an almightly row.
Oban Fish and Chip Shop owner Lilian MacDonald sparked the feud with her main rival further down the street after advertising the Padstow food supremo's claim on his BBC programme, Rick Stein's Food Heroes.
She put up a window sign and board outside quoting Stein as saying they were the "best fish and chips I've ever tasted". Neighbouring chippie, Nories, retaliated by advertising the same quote about their suppers from someone simply called "Rick".
Now John Stewart, 45, who runs George Street Fish and Chip Shop, has claimed he was the fryer who served Stein during the infamous visit in 2002.
He broke cover yesterday to claim: "I am the third link in all this, the two of them are fighting over signs but none of them know anything about it."
Stein, speaking for the first time about the row, admitted he wished he had never said anything about his meal.
Mr Stewart said: "I think it's about time the truth came out, it was me that served Rick Stein, it was me that cooked the fish Rick Stein said was the best he had ever tasted. I have tolerated this Rick Stein thing for years. I think it's a total cheek, it's got absolutely nothing to do with her. She was working in Glasgow at the time Rick Stein came in.
"At the time Rick Stein came in, I was in partnership at the Oban Fish and Chip Shop with Lilian's then boyfriend George, who is now her husband."
Mr Stewart added: "Rick Stein was going to Mull and he came in and had fish and chips and we didn't even realise he was in.
"Next day the BBC phoned and said who it was and they did the whole film thing. You can actually see it's me in the DVD."
Mr Stewart said Stein came into the shop in 2002, sparking a frenzy among tourists to visit the chip shop.
He said he sold it to Mrs MacDonald and George in 2005.
"I think they should take the signs down, it's not right. I am not asking for Rick Stein signs to be put up, but I can understand Nories putting a sign up because they (George and Lilian MacDonald) didn't do it."
Mr MacDonald claimed: "It's the same stove, the same set-up and he didn't fry the fish for Rick Stein. It was a lad that was on that night and the young lad fried the fish. I never said I fried the fish. The shop is as good as Rick Stein said it is."
Stein said: "Never again will I write on a piece of paper I have enjoyed a meal.
"I've scribbled in restaurants all over the world, from Greece, Sicily, Sri Lanka, Calcutta and all the way to New Zealand. I'm not a restaurant critic I'm just a customer.
"I wrote this over 10 years ago, how do I know what they taste like now?"
Moira Kerr
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article