What we've done and the future of the CHIPSHOP A front view of The ChiPsHop

The Park Slope CHIPSHOP was launched in March 2001 by Chris and Vicki Sell to bring life to Chris's vision to provide authentic fish & chips and other English food and beers to New Yorkers. As an ex-pat and career chef, Chris was eager to dispel negative perceptions of English comfort food and "have a laugh doing it".

Pleased by the tremendous reception by Park Slope residents and the impressive press coverage for their first restaurant,
CHIPSHOP expanded to Atlantic Avenue (Brooklyn Heights/Cobble Hill) in February, 2005. The Atlantic CHIPSHOP is an English restaurant and pub featuring a diverse selection of single malt scotches, Irish whiskeys & single barrel bourbons and 16 different draft beers.

In February, 2008 CHIPSHOP expanded to its third Brooklyn location serving Bay Ridge and will continue to explore expansion to other locations in the New York City area.  Additionally, the restaurant group is investigating national expansion through franchising.  Chris’s objective is that “when Americans think of good fish & A Wiggly English Flag chips, they think of the CHIPSHOP.”  Besides who wouldn't believe the trade publication, Restaurant BusinessNews, when they said the CHIPSHOP is "leading the British invasion in America."

Would you like to be a part of CHIPSHOP’s expansion?

We are seeking compatible individuals or business entities interested in opportunities within CHIPSHOP's growing family of restaurants. If you have an entrepreneurial spirit, an appreciation of deep fried mushy peas and some cash burning a hole in your pocket, give us a call.  It can’t hurt to have a friendly chat.  Contact Chris to find out more about our expansion plans.  Email:   chris@chipshopnyc.com or call: 917 327 2285.

Background: The birth of the CHIPSHOP concept.

 Owner Christopher Sell - demonstrating the new "Chip Wave"

The life of Christopher Sell (abridged and censored)!
With classical French culinary training, Chris Sell has been in the catering industry for over 25 years. In 1989 he felt the need for a change from his native England and said, "Bollocks, I'm moving to the USA." Chris arrived in New York in March 1990 with $700 in his pocket and an ambition to have fun. To support those early NYC days, Chris worked in the restaurant "underground" as a waiter, bartender, chef and later the operations director for an upscale sandwich bar chain supporting the launch of their second successful midtown store.

During the fun times of the early 1990s, Chris met Vicki in their shared Park Slope Brooklyn watering hole. By 1997 it seemed time for Chris to get legit and Vicki was the right ball and chain for him. However, to rectify past missteps with the INS (the underground days), Chris had to return to the UK for eighteen months (now known as the period of exile). While in London, he worked for Simon Woodroffe at YO! Sushi as executive chef and later as catering manager. The catering business included high profile parties for events such as Time Out Magazine's 21st birthday, the Phantom Menace premier, and the launch of Sky TV Digital. At YO! Chris learned that in addition to providing good food, an atmosphere of fun combined with a certain sexiness and cheek has great appeal to diners.

Chris and Vicki married in London in 1998 and waited out the final months of Chris's exile on different sides of the pond. When Chris returned to NYC in August 1999, his mission was to open the first fish & chip shop in Brooklyn with that dash of cheekiness. Launched in early 2001, the first CHIPSHOP has been greeted by a tremendous reception by Park Slope residents. Added in 2005, the Atlantic CHIPSHOP with its pub atmosphere has drawn a loyal following among Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill residents. Chris and Vicki also had their most beloved addition arrive in 2005 with the birth of their daughter, Katherine.  The most recent CHIPSHOP opened in early 2008 to serve the southern Brooklyn community of Bay Ridge.  Katherine celebrated the occasion by proudly (and without her parents’ consent) putting her meaty-mac covered hand-prints on the newly painted walls. 

A Rare photo of the royal family and Chris doing the Chip Wave! For a small neighborhood restaurant group, the CHIPSHOP has received impressive media coverage from local, national and even international press including: the New York Times (#1 / #2), Time Out New York, The New York Daily News, The Village Voice, the New York Post, New York Magazine, Restaurant BusinessNews, The Economist, The Times (UK), The Daily Mail (UK), The Observer (UK), The Daily Telegraph (UK), The Independent (UK), Viz Magazine (UK), The Brooklyn Paper, Italian Vogue, the Rugby Advertiser (Chris’s hometown paper), the Boulder Daily Camera (Vicki's hometown paper), the Cox newspaper group, CBS national news, CBS Sunday Morning, the Food Networks’ Unwrapped and Roker on the Road, featured in the bonus DVD material of  the movie Supersize Me,  New York Channel 1 News, New York Fox 5 News, New York Channel 7 News, New York Channel 11 News, over 75 radio station interviews nationwide, BBC Radio 5, BBC Radio Glasgow (UK) and many more.

The CHIPSHOP is especially proud of its many consumer and editorial awards including: the Eating/Drinking award for "Best Fish & Chips in New York " by Time Out Magazine and The Village Voice and for being voted #1 take out by citysearch.com.

It seems the good comfort food and cheekiness are paying off.  Chris, Vicki and all the CHIPSHOP management and staff are thankful to our great customers and we invite those who haven't tried us to stop in.