- The famous Michelin star chef, from Salisbury, received backlash today
- READ MORE: Tom Kerridge is slammed for increasing price of his of fish and chips to £37 - as customers complain they only get a 'tiny slither' of food
Tom Kerridge has been slammed by Good Morning Britain viewers after he spoke about the struggles of high VAT in hospitality, despite charging customers £37 for fish and chips.
The famous Michelin star chef, from Salisbury, spoke to Ed Balls and Susanna Reid about the issues that restaurants, pubs and cafes are currently facing, adding that food energy prices are pushing the industry to 'ruin'.
Ed asked him whether the VAT cut to five per cent during the Covid pandemic made a difference to those working in the food industry.
Tom replied: 'That made a huge difference, that was the restaurant and hospitality industry's key to survival.
'As an industry, we are pushing for VAT to come in line with most of Europe where it sits between eight and 12 per cent for hospitality.
The famous Michelin star chef, from Salisbury, spoke to Ed Balls and Susanna Reid about the issues that restaurants, pubs and cafes are currently facing
He put the price up of his fish ad chips last October from his initial cost of £35 which was introduced in June 2023
'So it if were to drop to 10 per cent, it would be amazing and would be a release of the pressure valve for hospitality, not just in terms of profitability but in terms of it allows for reinvestment in skill-set shortages and retraining.
'That sort of 10 per cent reduction in VAT would be the difference between survival and closure.'
Currently, if you supply food and non-alcoholic beverages for consumption on a premises, such as a restaurant, café or pub, you are currently required to charge VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent.
However, viewers of the morning talk show were quick to criticise Tom for trying to 'claw back' money by charging customers a whopping £37 for fish and chips at Harrods.
He put the price up last October from his initial cost of £35 which was introduced in June 2023.
The Market Day Fish Meal includes a piece of Cornish fish coated in Kerridge's gluten-free batter and is served with just eight chips, Matson curry sauce, tartare sauce, and pease pudding.
One viewer wrote on X: 'Tom Kerridge saying that energy bills are destroying the hospitality industry, the same Tom Kerridge that charges £35 for fish and chips.'
Viewers of the morning talk show were quick to criticise Tom for trying to 'claw back' money by charging customers a whopping £37 for fish and chips
Another penned: 'Tom [is] clawing his money back by charging £37 for Fish n Chips...'
A third said: 'Ask Kerridge why his restaurant in London charges £37 for fish and chips. The guy [is] a rogue.'
A fourth commented: 'Oh that's right, get the bloke on who charges £30 for Fish & Chips,' whilst another chimed in and said: 'Oh Tom Kerridge, the chef who charges a fortune for Fish and Chips.'
Other items on the menu also went up, including coleslaw and peas, which both cost one pound extra at £8.50.
Kerridge's thick cut chips also rose to a hefty £9.50, having previously been priced at £8.50.
And the price of a Whole Lobster also increased by a whopping £15 last year. The dish used to cost £65, but it shot up to £80.
The topic of conversation then moved to Jeremy Clarkson's decision to buy a pub in the Cotswolds called The Windmill.
The television presenter, 64, paid 'less than £1million' for the venue, an elegant and highly-rated establishment near Burford, Oxfordshire.
Jeremy Clarkson decided to buy a pub in the Cotswolds called The Windmill
Tom also admitted to television presenters Susanna and Ed that he has watched Clarkson's Farm on Amazon a couple of times
He hopes to make his mark with all-British ingredients and bar games, as well as a ban on noisy TVs, fruit machines and 'confusing' toilet signs.
Susanna Reid then asked Tom whether Jeremy was right to invest in a pub.
Tom said: 'It's very, very difficult, operating a pub. Even if it's busy and packed on a Saturday night, the profit margin is very small, particularly when you're looking at drink-led pubs rather than just food.
'You need to be busy on a Monday and Tuesday lunchtime not just at weekends and the pressures that come into that business are just huge.
'It's going to be difficult and actually I'm very pleased that he's taking it on because he showed how hard British farming.
'This would be another opportunity for the rest of the UK to see how difficult it is to run a pub as he will come up against the issues and problems that there are.'
Tom also admitted to television presenters Susanna and Ed that he has watched Clarkson's Farm on Amazon a couple of times.
Tom has a new show, Tom Kerridge Cooks Britain, due to be released on 4 July, ahead of the election on ITV.
But Tom joked that his show was the 'most important thing' as it's 'supporting British producers and farmers.'