HOSPITALITY
Catalyst chats to the man behind Eric’s – a burgeoning fish and chip restaurant chain with big dreams – about the recipe for success
egular visitors to the north Norfolk coast will likely be familiar with Eric’s, Thornham’s
much-loved gourmet fish and chip shop. Set in a chichi cluster of shops at Drove Orchards, minutes from the beach, this restaurant made a mission of elevating the nation’s favourite dish; blending nostalgia and modern influences with delicious results. As well as the classics, the menu tempts with Japanese-style fish cakes, battered gherkins, black pudding fritters and fried jam sandwiches, all washed down with a crisp prosecco or a glass of Eric’s own Seaza ale. The meeting of old and new is reflected in the design of the restaurant too, which combines Formica tables and stripy-deckchair seaside charm with a bright, modern, industrial-style look. After a few years of roaring trade in Thornham, Eric’s is on the march, having opened new restaurants in both Holt, Norfolk, and St Ives, Cambridgeshire, within the last few months. At the helm of this burgeoning restaurant collection is Eric Snaith, who cut his teeth in the hospitality industry cheffing at his family’s hotel near Brancaster. “I grew up in Titchwell Manor, which was my parents’ business and has been in the family for 31 years. I sort of fell into it; started helping out on pot wash and doing the odd day in the kitchen, and just really enjoyed it,” he explains. “I went travelling for a year and when I came back, worked in a couple of other establishments. Then the opportunity came up at the hotel so I went back there – I was head chef for about 14 years.” Boasting three AA Rosettes, Titchwell Manor has earned an excellent reputation for its creative fine dining – but Eric had dreams of creating something altogether different to run in tandem with the hotel. “I liked the idea of doing something that was a complete contrast to our core business, which was at the higher end of the market; something that appealed to everybody,” he says. “And taking the nation’s ultimate dish, fish and chips, but approaching it differently in terms of the quality of the
WORDS NICOLA FOLEY
ISSUE 03 48
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