Prestigious porridge-making championships won by English cooks

It is considered to be a staple food of Scotland.
Lisa Williams won the World Porridge Making Champion title.Lisa Williams won the World Porridge Making Champion title.
Lisa Williams won the World Porridge Making Champion title.

But now competitors from England have beaten off local competition to win the coveted World Porridge Making Champion title and Speciality Porridge Champion title at the World Porridge Making Championships in the Highland village of Carrbridge.

Lisa Williams, who runs a social enterprise and a community cafe for adults with learning disabilities in Suffolk, was crowned World Porridge Making Champion, while Rude Health founder, Nick Barnard took the speciality title.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The coveted World Porridge Making Champion title is awarded to the contestant deemed to have made the best traditional porridge using just three ingredients – oatmeal, water and salt.

Ms Williams said: “I am surprised and thrilled to win the World Porridge Making Championships.

“I discovered the Golden Spurtle in 2015 and immediately fell in love with the competition. In 2016 I made it to the final six and have been chasing the dream ever since.

As well as the traditional porridge competition, there is also a speciality category for oatmeal combined with any other ingredients, leading to a wide variety of sweet and savoury entries.

Charlie Miller from the organising committee said: “This year’s competition attracted competitors from 11 different countries including Sweden, Canada, Germany, France, Poland and from across the UK. It has been a fantastic weekend celebrating a mutual love of porridge. Congratulations to our winners, well done to all competitors, and thanks to our sponsors and to everyone who came to watch them battling it out.”

Barnard’s speciality porridge was Maple Pecan - which included Rude Health oatmeal, pecans from Roux Farm in South Africa and Guernsey Cream from Hurdlebrook Farm in Somerset.

The World Porridge Making Championships is organised by Carrbridge Community Council, and is sponsored by Hamlyns of Scotland, the Banffshire-based producer of Hamlyns Scottish Oatmeal and Hamlyns Scottish Porridge Oats.