THICK, hearty wholesome chips are the order of the day for a new pub grub campaign.

Steve Midgeley, 33, chef and owner of the Fielden's Arms, Mellor Brook, is on a mission get chip eaters in East Lancashire munching through plates of 'proper' chips rather than the frozen French fries variety.

His Campaign For Proper Chips was inspired by renown chef Gordon Ramsay who came up with the 'campaign for real gravy' for the Fenwick Arms in Claughton near Lancaster in his Channel 4 reality TV programme Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmare where he turns around kitchen's up and down the country.

Chorley-born Steve has been a chef of 17 years and has always cooked using fresh produce - at the Fielden's Arms he fries 25kgs of proper' chips per day at his pub.

Steve said: "I have never used anything but fresh produce and I think it is very important.

"I am a great believer in proper chips. I find nothing worse than going into a restaurant and being served factory-produced frozen chips or even worse the dreaded French fries.

"Proper chips taste so superb and I can't think why anyone would settle for second best.

"That's why we've launched the Campaign For Proper Chips to highlight the difference.

"I want people to realise that chips don't have to be unhealthy, cooked from fresh they are no worse than having any other form of potato."

"I believe proper chips should be cut thick so that there is a good surface area of crunch and when you bite into them they should have a light and fluffy consistency like mashed potato.

"What really annoys me are the places where they cook factory produced stuff that is coated in sugar to try to give them some flavour. They have no real taste."

Steve added: "Unfortunately, there are still too many bad pub restaurants where food goes straight from the freezer, to the microwave to the plate, but I also believe there is a strong demand for good, fresh food.

"I am passionate about good food made from wholesome ingredients."

Visit the website below to join the campaign.