The corner fish and chips shop in Australia is more than a place to grab a quick meal. It archives the country’s multicultural heritage. The menu tells a story of how immigrants left their mark on an Australian classic. These eateries are tangible links to the past, with each culinary addition reflecting a new chapter in Australia’s immigration history.
Mostly British beginnings
Fish and chips arrived on Australian shores with the first British settlers in the early 19th century. One of the earliest attestations of the Australian shop is by a Greek immigrant from Kythera, who opened the first Greek store after visiting a Welshman’s shop in 1879. This and further details on the intrepid life of Athanasios Comino can be found in the 1988 book The 200 Years History of Australian Cooking.
In those early days, the fish and chips shop was predominantly an Anglo enterprise. These shops were scattered across the country, from bustling cities to quiet coastal towns, serving up a taste of home to expatriates and locals alike. The dish’s main ingredient, fish, a source bountiful in Australia, and its low-cost cooking method, deep-frying, made it a staple of Australian cuisine.
The original offerings were straightforward: battered fish deep-fried until golden and crispy and thick-cut chips (fries). This went mostly unchanged until the middle of the 20th century, coinciding with the arrival of European immigrants.
The Greek influence on fish and chips
The post-World War II period significantly shifted Australia’s demographic landscape. Greek immigrants, fleeing the civil war in their homeland, arrived in large numbers. Many of them purchased fish and chips shops from owners who were predominantly of Anglo descent, bringing their own culinary traditions into the mix. Among the most notable additions was the souvlaki, a Greek street food consisting of grilled meat served with pita bread and salad.
The souvlaki, or as some Australians pronounce it, “souv-a-laki” (highlighting the challenge of pronouncing the Greek “v-l” consonant cluster for Australian-English speakers) became a popular addition to the traditional fish and chips menu. This dish, with its flavorful marinated meat and fresh accompaniments, offered a new taste experience for Australians.
It wasn’t long before the souvlaki became as beloved as the original fish and chips, further enriching the culinary landscape of these shops. To this day, souvlakis are commonly found on the menu of most fish and chip shops, even if non-Greeks own them.
The Chinese influence on fish and chips
The Chinese have a long history in Australia. Thousands of Chinese miners made the Asian-Pacific island their home during the Australian gold rush of the 1850s. However, the 1980s brought a new wave of Chinese immigrants. Like their Greek predecessors, these new arrivals saw the potential in the fish and chips shop business and began integrating their culinary traditions. One of the most significant contributions from the Chinese community was the introduction of dim sims.
Dim sims, a larger and more robust version of traditional Chinese dim sum, quickly found their place on the menu. These steamed or fried dumplings, filled with meat and vegetables, became a popular snack or side dish. Their small size, ability to be deep-fried, and salty taste (once drenched in soy sauce) made them a perfect accompaniment to the existing offerings at fish and chips shops.
Glocalization of non-Australian food
Today, Australian fish and chips shops are a vibrant reflection of the country’s multicultural heritage. The menu items, from traditional battered fish and chips to Greek souvlakis and Chinese dim sims, tell the story of immigrational acceptance from outsiders to integrated members of Australian society.
The White Australia Policy of the 20th century, which limited non-Anglo immigration to Australia, is a reminder of the prevailing attitudes new-coming Greeks, Chinese, and other immigrants faced upon their arrival. Immigrants faced large-scale xenophobia from the majority of Australians who descended from Irish, English, and Scottish. A notable vestige of that tumultuous period is the term “w-g,” a derivation of “scallywag,” the disparaging English term for a person of color. Today, this derisive slur has been transformed into an endearing term used between people of Mediterranean and Near Eastern descent.
The fish and chip souvlaki and dim sim are emblematic of Australia’s shift in attitudes towards immigration from xenophobia to integration and acceptance. This acceptance was achieved through a process that scholars call glocalization. Once Greek and Chinese food became more palatable by being presented in Australian packaging, they ceased to be foreign. They were then a new item on a familiar table. Greek and Chinese food went through Australization. Like many parts of the world, globalization integrates into society through a process of localization, resulting in a process of glocalization.
How immigrants left their mark on an Australian classic
The evolution of fish and chips shops in Australia is a fascinating journey through the country’s immigration history. These eateries have continuously adapted and evolved from their British origins in the 19th century to the Greek and Chinese, among other influences in the post-World War II and 1990s. Today, they are a delicious testament to Australia’s rich cultural diversity.