Premium Fish and Chips: FUSH, a Nod to Nostalgia.
If you're a fan of fish and chips, you're in for a treat! FUSH is extending to Prestons from their current locations in Wigram and Prebbleton, and promises to bring the same touch of nostalgia to your taste buds.
Anton, Jess, and Māia, the founders of FUSH, have a passion for bringing back the memories of their childhood - eating fish and chips on Friday nights with their (whānau) families. But, instead of the usual soggy battered fish and chips down at the beach made of low quality fish (usually shark), they had a vision of offering premium quality kaimoana/seafood with a new twist on the classic Aotearoa dish.
FUSH started as a nostalgic love song to the family time spent over summers, but it quickly evolved into a business venture. Taylor, who was doing engineering in Ōtautahi/Christchurch, met Anton and Māia through hospitality and was impressed, shared their same values, he describes Anton as being always happy to spend time coaching and mentoring people.
Together, they began working on FUSH with Taylor driving the digital marketing, and Anton behind the wheel driving the family vision, FUSH has taken off and is now a thriving business currently with 2 locations, and one on the way.
However, the road to success was not without its challenges. The team hit a few roadblocks and faced kickback on the pricing of the kai and had to educate manuhiri/guests on the quality they were paying for and introduce the community to a new fish and chip experience. “People's idea was different from what FUSH were providing, we managed to turn that around”. Perseverance and hard mahi paid off with a loyal community of customers who are happy knowing they are “paying for quality” and supporting sustainability.
FUSH has also faced classic hospitality cost increases, such as staff and cost of goods, but the community has been nothing but supportive over the last few years and really got behind the brand, “we appreciate all our close customers and their support”. To further connect with the community, FUSH introduced free te reo Māori courses and held community events, to help people and local businesses embrace the Māori language and culture. Running community events has definitely helped spread word of their kaupapa and brand. As a result FUSH have now established themselves as a destination restaurant, becoming somewhat of a local gem in Wigram, and hope to repeat the same at Prestons and Prebbleton.
Their blue cod, sourced from the Chatham Islands, has been a hit among customers, becoming the most popular dish alongside the premium fried chicken. People love the warm greetings at the door with a hearty "kia ora" and the atmosphere of the shop, which feels authentic and like a community safe haven. “What people appreciate is that it's welcoming and not polarising”.
FUSH is more than just a fish and chip shop. It's a love song to nostalgia, a passion for quality food, and a dedication to the community. The team is on a mission to show New Zealand that fish and chips can be a meal that everyone can enjoy, done the right way.
FUSH could just very well be the best fish and chips in Christchurch, so get in and visit their shops in Prebbleton and Wigram (keep a close eye out for Prestons!) and taste the difference for yourself!