Young, ambitious and now his own boss

Catch-up with my latest Rising Stars & Unsung Heroes feature for FRY Magazine. At just 22, I am preparing to open Donington Fish and Chips — my very first venture, blending tradition with fresh ambition!

I’m just a few weeks away from opening Donington Fish and Chips, my first-ever business. It still hasn’t sunk in yet. The shop’s in Donington, a quiet village near Spalding in Lincolnshire. It’s an existing fish and chip business with a great central location, right in the market square, and although it needs a bit of a refresh, the bones are solid. All being well, I’ll be opening mid-August.

I started working in fish and chips straight out of school in 2019, joining Linfords in Market Deeping. I quickly realised I had a real passion for the trade, not just cooking, but the community around it. I always knew I wanted to run my own business one day. I just didn’t know how or when it would happen.

Earlier this year, I completed a short business course that gave me the confidence to start looking seriously. When this opportunity came up, it just made sense. Donington has a population of about 3,000, with a strong base of older customers, perfect for traditional fish and chips cooked in beef dripping. The shop itself has been a staple in the village for years, though it’s lost a bit of its former shine. My aim is to bring that back with simple, honest food done well.

Concept sketch of the new Donington Fish and Chips shopfront, due to open August 2025.

I’ll be giving the place a fresh lick of paint, updating the signage, and making a few tweaks inside to make it feel more inviting. It’ll mainly be a takeaway, but there’s some seating inside too for those who want to eat in.

I’ve been lucky to learn from some brilliant people in the industry. I was part of the Drywite Young Fish Frier competition, which really opened doors for me. Previous winners Charlie Collins and Jamie Russo have been hugely generous with their advice. They’ve walked this same path: working in shops, then buying their own at a young age. It’s reassuring to see it can be done.

My time at Linfords left me with a solid foundation. I completed a hospitality manager apprenticeship there, which gave me strong grounding in customer service, leadership, and the realities of running a business. Now I’m discovering just how many moving parts there are, from kit and suppliers to branding and compliance, but it’s exciting. And I feel confident in the product I’ll be putting out.

The food side is where I want to innovate a little. I’ll be keeping it traditional to start — cod, haddock, and beef dripping — but I’m looking to introduce rotating specials like hake, plaice, or rock salmon. Cod prices are still challenging, so variety and value-for-money are key. I’m also going to trial loaded fries and other modern touches to appeal to younger customers. It’s a balance to staying rooted in tradition while gently evolving with demand.

Social media will be a big part of that. It’s such a powerful tool, especially for engaging younger audiences and showing the personality behind the brand. I know it takes time to get right, but it’s worth investing in.

Down the line, I’d love for the shop to become part of the community, not just serving great food, but giving something back. Whether that’s supporting local causes or adopting more sustainable practices, it’s something I want to build into the business over time.

If there’s one piece of advice I’d give to someone considering what I’m doing, it’s this: don’t wait until everything is perfect. Just start. If it doesn’t work out, you’ve got time on your side. I’d rather give it a go now and learn as I go than look back and wonder “what if?”.

How a Part-Time Job Turned into My Dream Career

Catch-up with my first column article for Ceres - Pure Food Innovation, in their Trade Talks section. Bringing my insight about my journey in the fish and chip industry so far!

In this edition, Kieran Bulpit, ex-Head Fryer of Linfords Fish & Chips, Market Deeping, and soon to be embarking on a new journey, shares his perspective on the trade.

What does a shy 16-year-old with a part-time job know about running a business? More than you might think - especially after five years working behind the counter (and fryers) at Linfords. If you’d told me when I started that I’d be preparing to open my own fish and chip shop, I’d have smiled politely and changed the subject. But that’s exactly what I’m doing.

Kieran Bulpit, for ITV News

First Shifts and Shaky Hands

Back in 2019, I joined Linfords in Market Deeping at the age of 16. I was quiet, nervous, and looking to earn pocket money while studying A-levels in Maths, Chemistry, and Biology. My mates already worked there, so it seemed like a no-brainer. I started part-time, prepping food and cooking burgers and chicken.

I didn’t realise it at the time, but I was already taking the first steps into a career I’d eventually fall in love with.

Balancing school, social life, and work was tough, Linfords is a busy shop, fast-paced and relentless at times, but that pressure teaches you quickly. I went full-time after school, took on more responsibility, and slowly began building my knowledge and confidence.

Learning to Lead

From back-of-house prep to managing the whole fryer station - my journey has been anything but overnight. In early 2022, I trained on the fryers. By August, I was a full-time fryer and shift leader. That role came with more than just new duties - it brought a new pressure level.

Managing staff while producing high-quality food in a busy shop is one thing. Doing it when you’re the same age as your team, or younger, is another. Earning their respect took time, especially when I had no management experience. Some questioned my decisions. Others just didn’t want to listen.

What helped? Time. Patience. Structure. Over the months, as older staff moved on and new people joined, I was able to create clearer systems. We tightened up rotas, refined our processes, and shaped a stronger team culture. Even small changes started to make a big difference - cleaner closes, smoother services, and an extra £500-£1,000 through the till on the busiest nights.

Frying, in the end, was the easy part. Building a team that trusts each other, and trusts me, was the real challenge.

Pushing Past My Comfort Zone

If you’d met me at 16, I was the textbook definition of an introvert. But this job has forced me to grow in ways I never imagined. I’ve had to lead, present, manage conflict, and speak up - even when uncomfortable.

The Drywite Young Fish Frier of the Year (DYFFY) competition comprised a huge part of that growth. It changed everything. It have me confidence in my skills and helped other see me differently. Staff began to trust my leadership more. My communication improved. And I started to believe I could do this.

The competition opened doors - from networking with other fryers and visiting award-winning shops to seeing fish markets like Billingsgate, Newlyn, and Peterhead first-hand. I saw how supply chains work, how products vary, and how even shops that do things differently can all serve fantastic food.

It shifted my mindset. Suddenly, owning my own shop didn’t feel impossible. It felt…right.

Lessons From Linfords

Chris, the owner at Linfords, has been a massive influence. He taught me the foundations of good frying and what to avoid when running a shop. He’s always been supportive, encouraging me to push myself through the NFFF course, the Level 4 Hospitality Management Apprenticeship, and DYFFY.

The apprenticeship helped me combine my love of food, numbers, and business. It’s taught me about finances, systems, team management, and how a great shop runs behind the scenes. I spend around 25% of my time doing admin - and I enjoy it.

That balance of cooking and managing is where I thrive.

DryWite Young Fish Frier of the Year, Holland 2025 trip, sponsored by KFE Ltd

Pictured Left to Right: Charlie Knox (Carron Fish Bar, Stonehaven), Jamie Russo (Redcloak Fish Bar, Stonehaven), Abby Barker (Miller’s, Haxby), James Ellams (Fish and Chips @ Weston Grove, Chester), Kieran Bulpit (previously: Linfords Fish and Chips, Market Deeping), Glen Morrison (Garioch Fish Bar, Inverurie), Sebastian Harding-Crook (Squires, Braunton), Charlie James (Pier Point, Torquay).

So…What’s Next?

I’m getting ready to open my own fish and chip shop. Just writing that still feels a bit surreal.

It’s going to be tough - no illusions there. The first few months with be a steep learning curve. But I’m stepping into it with open eyes, experience under my belt, and a fire in my belly.

I’ve learned that fish and chips aren’t just about cod and potatoes. It’s about systems, people, standards, and passion. If you care enough, push yourself, and surround yourself with the right support - you can build something great.

Opening day is coming. I’ll be sharing the highs, lows, and everything in between.

Watch this space.

Article written for Ceres - Pure Food Innovation. View the original article here: https://ceres.shop/blog/how-a-parttime-job-turned-into-my-dream-career/