Ches's

General information

There is one fundamental theme in Newfoundland's history: without the fish, we wouldn't be here. The fishery has defined us as a people and a culture. It has shaped who we are. It's with that thought in mind that we look back on the beginnings of Ches's own history.
Back to the days of schooners and dory men, hand lines and cod bigger than anyone today can imagine. Ches Barbour was a young man not yet 20 when he went to work on the family schooner, Seabird. It was aboard that splendid vessel that Ches learned the rudiments of cooking en masse for hearty Newfoundlanders. The knowledge he gained in the galley would become a guide for his dream, to start a Fish & Chips shop in St. John's - far from his homeport in Newtown, Bonavista Bay.

In 1951 with his wife Betty by his side, Ches started most humbly. Rising each morning, he'd steam out the narrows of St. John's harbour in his small fishing boat, catch what he thought would get him through the day, and return to town in time to fillet and cook - opening the doors in time for the dinner time crowd and staying open late into the night

Through the years, Ches's family grew, and so did the business. Today Ches's is still a family-run business with six locations in Newfoundland and more in the works. But at the root of this business are the beliefs Ches practiced as a young man. Treat your staff as your family, your customers as your friends, and never forget that in Newfoundland fish is more than a food, it's a staple worthy of the best treatment possible. We aim each day to combine a tradition of excellence with an atmosphere that says "Welcome Home".