Harrods to cut ties with Tom Kerridge in major shake-up after chef was criticised for price of his £37 fish and chips

Harrods is set to end its partnerships with celebrity chefs, including Tom Kerridge and Gordon Ramsay, in a major shake-up.

The luxury department store, based in London, will no longer serve food from a selection of outside vendors and will shift to focusing on selling in-house produce by the end of the month.

The change means that Kerridge will no longer sell his fish and chips with the controversial £37 price tag at the department store from the end of August.

Despite the high price point, the chef, 52, repeatedly defended the cost of the British classic dish, claiming it should be the expectation when dining at Harrods.

Harrods’ decision is also a blow for Gordon Ramsay of Gordon Ramsay Burger, Calum Franklin of Franklin’s restaurant, and Masayoshi Takayama of Sushi by Masa, which will all close at Harrods.

Ramsay’s burger joint, known for serving an £85 wagyu beef burger, will serve its final orders slightly later in January, the Caterer reported.

Harrods’ bosses decided to adapt its offerings due to a change in customer demand, preferences, and industry trends.

In recent times, the store has seen a surge in people seeking out foods by the department store and recording their thoughts on social media.

Kerridge’s Fish and Chips by Tom Kerridge (pictured) will cease trading at Harrods by the end of the month in a major shake-up.

The online trend is no doubt fuelling Harrods’ decision to invest in its own food and beverage ideas, with more openings due in the coming months.

While celebrity chefs are losing out, brands, including Pasta Evangelists and Kinoya Ramen Bar, will maintain their position in the store.

Michael Ward, managing director at Harrods, told the Caterer: ‘As part of Harrods’ considered customer approach, we took the decision a number of months ago to review feedback and data to ensure our in-store experience is delivering against customers’ evolving preferences.

‘Harrods has a rich history of serving the finest food and drink and we are constantly progressing our dining offerings.

‘We’d like to thank all the fantastic chefs that we have been very privileged to work with over the last few years for their partnership.

‘Together we have served many thousands of diners from shoppers to families and friends celebrating special moments in our restaurants.’

Earlier this year, Tom Kerridge hit back at critics who moaned about his £37 fish and chips at Harrods.

The Market Day Fish Meal includes a piece of Cornish fish coated in Kerridge’s gluten-free batter and is served with eight chips, Matson curry sauce, tartare sauce, and pease pudding.

The celebrity chef met criticism for serving fish and chips (pictured) for £37 at the British department store

Harrods (pictured) will cut ties with a string of celebrity chefs, including Calum Franklin and Masoyoshi Takayama.

The whopping price tag proved divisive for some diners, but the defiant Michelin-starred chef insisted that if diners are looking for ‘cheap and cheerful’ they should look elsewhere.

‘Do the people who shout about the price of my fish and chips [£37] also shout at Ferrari when it launches a new car?,’ he told The Times.

‘If you’re getting the best you can get, that’s how much it is. It’s very different from a fish and chip shop like where I grew up.

‘Frozen blocks of fish, which are sometimes shipped to China to be processed, are different from fish caught by a guy who has been on a boat throughout the night.’

Kerridge also said he is not to blame for the extortionate price tag during an interview with foodie content creators Topjaw on Instagram.

He said: ‘I have nothing to do with the pricing at Harrods, really. So I have everything to do with the quality of produce that we buy.

‘It’s day boat fish. It’s really expensive, and all of those sorts of things. They set the price, that’s nothing to do with me.

‘That backlash always comes back to me. But it’s also in the most beautiful food hall, arguably, in the world, in the most expensive shop, in the most expensive city, in the most expensive part of the city, in the world.

Gordon Ramsay’s (pictured) Gordon Ramsay Burger will also close its Harrods location by January.

‘It’s Harrods, everything about it is going to be expensive. If you’re expecting something cheap and cheerful, you don’t get cheap and cheerful in Harrods. You get a quality level.’

It’s not the first time that Tom, who appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef, defended the expensive meal.

The three Michelin-star chef, who runs eight restaurants, including the Hand of Flowers and The Coach, both in upmarket Marlow, Buckinghamshire, has also increased the price of his hand-cut triple cooked chips and lobster.

Kerridge’s thick cut chips now set customers back a hefty £9.50, having previously been priced at £8.50.

This is the same new price for his Cornish New Potatoes with Herb Butter, which have also increased in price by one pound.

The price of a Whole Lobster has also increased by a whopping £15. The dish used to cost £65, but it has since shot up to £80.

The Harrods website reads: ‘British meals don’t get more classic than fish and chips. For young and old alike, the crunch of batter encasing tender fish together with a chunky chip dipped in ketchup is the ultimate heartwarming nod to comfort and nostalgia.

‘Trust in Tom Kerridge to take the UK’s favourite dish to new heights at his eponymous restaurant.

The store’s food section (pictured) is shifting to focus on selling in-house food and beverage products

‘On the menu created by one of the UK’s best-loved chefs, you’ll find Britain’s finest, freshest seafood, all ethically caught and hand-selected by local fishmongers.

‘From the daily catch to hand-dived scallops and native lobster, there’s a variety of grilled and deep-fried options – with the chef’s signature crisp and gluten-free batter – that will have you salivating.

‘And as you’d expect, Kerridge does not neglect the chips, which take two days to be prepared before they arrive at your table, piping hot and triple-cooked alongside a choice of dips.

‘Choose to pair yours with caviar and creme fraiche, or his homemade Matson curry sauce – a tribute to Kerridge’s local chip shop around the corner from where he grew up.

Last year, Tom also met backlash by a food critic for serving a £32 plate of fish and chips at Kerridge’s Bar and Grill in central London.

The chef took to Instagram to share a video of the dish, served with posh mushy peas and curry sauce, claiming it’s always a ‘crowd pleaser.’

However, one food critic said the portion was so small it made the fork look big.

Others claimed Kerridge’s food was ‘far too expensive’ and was ‘just battered fish.’

‘That is either a small fillet or a very large fork. No denying the impressive crunch, however,’ food critic Daniel Young joked.

Kerridge, who owns nine restaurants in the UK and has three Michelin stars, boasted, ‘I just love the crunch and crackle of the famous Fish & Chips at Kerridge’s Bar and Grill.

‘Gluten-free, delicious and served with fluffy triple cooked chips, tartare sauce, spiced Matson sauce and pease pudding, this is always a crowd pleaser.’

But fans weren’t as convinced, with one writing, ‘This man’s food is far too expensive.’ Another said, ‘Hardly a wow factor, just battered fish, with a joking price.’

‘How much for that tiny fish though? Probably about a score,’ joked another. Others asked, ‘Where’s the rest of it?’.

However, some people came to the chef’s defence saying it ‘looks fab’ and that they ‘could eat that’.

‘The best food we ever had, the best weekend there last week amazing staff thank you Tom,’ said another.