How an Aussie Tradition became a way of life for Trenton Brennan, owner of Ocean and Paddock
With almost 4000 votes cast, 160 fish and chip shops in the running and ONLY one people’s choice award, rivalry in the WA leg of a national competition is reaching boiling point. Two shops have continued to stand out from the crowd, current leader Albany-based Ocean and Paddock with 656 votes followed by Rockingham’s Bayside Fish and Chips on 552 votes. Third place will be a fight between Augusta’s Blue Ocean Fish and Fisch on Broadway in Crawley.
Trenton Brennan owner of leading chippie Ocean and Paddock said he was thrilled to be nominated for Australia’s Best Fish and Chips and acknowledges that the competition is a celebration of all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes.
Chef Trenton Brennan (middle) with wife Rebecca and fellow chef
“My wife and I have a strong drive to showcase the best local produce. This means no imported fish only fresh, local WA produce treated with respect and appreciation. We want to showcase the importance of Australian fisherman and what they offer.
The award is a way to bring recognition not only to us, but to all our hard-working suppliers as well. We are a very young business with mostly young school age staff and this award, even to just be nominated has really validated all the hard work and training we have undergone as a team,” he said.
Growing up around Coral Bay on sheep stations, with his father a shearer and mother a shearer’s cook, Brennan said he was raised living in the kitchen. On his days off his life became camping along the Coral Bay coast fishing and diving. “Living in Coral Bay there was always a plentiful supply of fresh fish and crays, so the love of cooking seafood became a life,” Brennan said.
With his strong passion for cooking, Brennan made the decision to make it his career and said that coming under the tutelage of master chef and innovator Cheong Liew really taught him what it meant to produce good food.
“Whilst I always had a love of food, Liew crystalised for me what great food and the love for food really was.”
Food took Brennan all around the world, spending the last 20 years working within hotels and resorts around the world in Australia, Maldives, USA, Thailand, Papua New Guinea and Malaysia.
But Brennan said that it was when he was living in Aspen Colorado with his wife Rebecca and baby daughter Annabelle reality hit. “I was at the time working 6 or 7 days a week with often 70 plus hours running a Japanese restaurant. It was at that point I looked I looked at my life as a chef and how that fit in with having a young family.”
Exploring his options and alternative business models, Brennan turned his sights to the humble Aussie Fish and Chip shop which catered to his exactly loves in life: cooking, exceptional seafood and raising his family.
Today Brennan runs a successful fish and chip shop ‘Ocean and Paddock’ in Albany focusing on showcasing the very best in local produce – no imported fish just fresh produce treated with respect and appreciation.
“So the question is – why can’t the best seafood be found at the humble Aussie Fish and Chip Shop!? In my opinion WA has the very best in Seafood Australia wide and we aim to put local, fresh sustainable seafood on show at Ocean and Paddocks, Brennan said.”
If you’re a fish and chip connoisseur – make sure you vote for your favourite chippie and pay homage to a Aussie favourite. But hurry you have until the 1 July to cast your vote. Head to: http://www.fishandchipsawards.com.au/vote