World Porridge Making Championship at Carrbridge to be in-person after three years online
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Porridge fans from across the world are making their final preparations to enter the 29th World Porridge Making Championship, which take place in the Highland village of Carrbridge on Saturday, October 8.
In all, 27 competitors from as far away as Australia, and from across Europe, will compete to win the highly-coveted title of World Porridge Making Champion and the Golden Spurtle trophy.
As well as the main competition, there is an additional prize for the best speciality porridge, where oatmeal can be combined with any other ingredients.
It will be the first live competition for three years. During the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, the competition was staged in a virtual format, with competitors submitting video entries for the speciality porridge category only.
The winner of the 2021 contest, Miriam Groot, a vegan photographer, recipe developer, writer and limb difference advocate from the Netherlands, is coming to Scotland to enter in person for the first time.
The 2022 line up includes competitors from Australia, Iceland, Cyprus, Poland, Sweden and from across the UK.
Competitors include
- 2019 World Porridge Making Champion, Lisa Williams, from England, who runs a community cafe in Suffolk which supports adults with learning disabilities.
- Caroline Velik, one of Australia’s leading commercial food stylists.
- Scottish outdoor enthusiast and camping cook, Christopher Ormiston.
- Alice Ljungberg, an 18 year old porridge enthusiast from Sweden.
- Michael Chakraverty, a previous Great British Bake Off contestant and writer from Scotland, who hosts the Mankind podcast.
- Toby Wilson, a self-trained chef and ‘oataphile’ from Sydney, Australia.
- Eamon (Ginge) Fullen, an ex Royal Navy clearance diver, who has entered more than 40 world championships events.
- International private travelling chef, David Buchanan from Scotland, who also grows vanilla in Bali.
Previous champions from Sweden, Scotland and England are also vying to re-gain the title.
The title of World Porridge Making Champion is awarded to the contestant deemed to have made the best traditional porridge using just three ingredients - oatmeal, water and salt. Competitors can use any grade of oatmeal, which may be soaked in advance of the competition. Entries are judged for appearance, texture, colour and taste.
Competitors entering the speciality competition can make any sweet or savoury dish with oatmeal.
This year’s judges include former Gleneagles Executive Chef, Neil Mugg, Scottish MasterChef finalist Sarah Rankin, and New Zealander Kirsten Gilmour, owner of KJ’s Bothy Bakery in Grantown on Spey.
Richard Jones, aka Farmer Jones, who broadcasts on farming and the countryside to listeners of MFR and Radio Borders will MC the event.
The day will begin with a toast to the porridge at Carrbridge’s iconic packhorse bridge, followed by a parade of competitors, judges and spectators led by Carrbridge Pipe Band. The first of five heats begins at 10.30am, with the final cook off at 3.30pm, and the winners announced at 4.15pm.
The World Porridge Making Championships is organised by volunteers from the Carrbridge and vicinity Community, and is sponsored by Hamlyns of Scotland, producers of Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal and Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats.
Karen Henderson, main organiser of the 2022 World Porridge Making Championship said: “After holding a virtual competition for the past two years during the pandemic, we can’t wait to welcome competitors and visitors from all over to world back to Carrbridge for this year’s competition. Spurtles at the ready!”
Alan Meikle, director of sponsors Hamlyns of Scotland, said: “The World Porridge Making Championships is a very unique and special event, and we’re really looking forward to seeing what the competitors come up with to impress the judges this year.”
