By Maddie Adams
Without question, there is no greater family feed than a rotisserie chicken. It’s nutritious, low effort, the cost-per-serve is low, it makes for great leftovers that can be transformed into other meals and, most importantly, it’s delicious.
But if you live north of Newport, chook options are few and far between.
Undercutting the popular charcoal chicken shops in Avalon Beach, the Woolworths Metro has made it near impossible for local grocers and meat businesses to survive in the village.
At one time, there were three independent chicken shops, all owned by hard-working immigrant families trying to make a living.
Not counting today’s inflation, I recall a juicy whole chicken from Robin’s Nest (a local favourite until 2024) was a reasonable $17, a more conservative half chook was $10.50, and the quick quarter was $6.50. And the best part was, you could choose the chook you wanted and could opt in or out of yummy home-made stuffing.
I looked forward to our weekly Tuesday night dinner which consisted of a whole chook, a large salad and large chips that fed the whole family and made for an enviable “chicken and chip butty” lunch at school the next day – all for less than $30.
With already astronomical rent and increasing running costs, the arrival of the Metro’s “hot food” deli counter in 2022 sealed the fate of the local chicken shop in Avalon. The convenience of an $11 Woolies bird instantly beat out local prices and it wasn’t long before all of the charcoal rotisseries disappeared.
While the rest of Sydney is divided (see the Red Rooster Line) and ruled by four lucrative chains (El Jannah, Chargrill Charlie’s, Red Rooster and Frangos) that battle it out for hot chicken supremacy, Avalon residents must either drive to Newport for Honest Chicken (a chain) or further on to Mona Vale for Chargrill Charlie’s (again, a chain).
But do they compare to that independent Australiana chook shop experience and taste à la Clem’s Newtown? Yeah, nah.
Thankfully, Fernando’s Peruvian Rotisserie at North Av stands as the last bastion of local charcoal chooks in the Avalon Metro-pocalypse. While their large family combo meal (whole chook, large chips and large salad of your choice) will set you back $42, the value of locally owned and made is well worth the price (plus the chicken is succulent and flavoured nicely with Peruvian spices).
Blurring class lines, cultures and enjoyed by all ages, the charcoal chook is an important fixture of Australian culture.
But if we don’t make the effort to buy from local businesses and continue to purchase the now $12.50 chickens from Woolworths purely out of convenience, what does that say about us? One can’t help but fear that butchers and fishmongers are next on the chopping block. And it will be all our fault.
If you can afford it, support local. #MakeAvalonChickenAgain.
Featured image: The $12.50 roast chooks in the hot food section of the Woolies Metro in Avalon. Photo: Maddie Adams
