Entries have opened for the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards for 2021/22 for bakers across Scotland, following Blairgowrie bakery’s ultimate win earlier this year.
Following a break during Covid, this year’s competition sought to find the ultimate champion from all previous winners, with James Pirie & Son of Newtyle, who won the award in 2018 and 2020, coming out on top following the winner announcement in May.
The closing date for entries is October 31 and interested bakeries can enter via the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards website.
The judging for the awards will then take place in a socially distanced way on November 10, with the ultimate champion being announced at a prestigious awards lunch in Cumbernauld on January 18.
Bakeries from across Scotland are encouraged to enter, with 11 categories available in the search for pie supremacy:
- Scotch Pie
- Football Pies and Savouries
- Macaroni Pie
- Steak Pie
- Sausage Roll
- Cold Savoury
- Hot Savoury
- Vegetarian Savoury
- Haggis Savoury
- Bridies
- Apple Pies
Organised by industry body Scottish Bakers, the competition is set to recognise the best of the best in the world of Scotch pies, with several businesses across Tayside and Fife expected to enter the awards.
Alasdair Smith, chief executive of Scottish Bakers said the competition will be shining a light on some of the nation’s top bakers.
He said: “After more than a year of a global pandemic, I am so proud to be launching The World Championship Scotch Pie Awards once again.
“Bakers and butchers in Scotland have shown such resilience, stepping up to provide fresh produce to us all in a time of crisis and it seems only fitting to celebrate the best of the best by shining a light on the most tastebud-tingling offerings from our nation’s best crafts people.
“This really is the only competition of its kind recognising excellence in the preparation of a perfect pie.
“It is now a regular fixture on the calendar as professional butchers and bakers throughout the country vie for pie supremacy and the boost to their business that always comes with such a sought-after title.”
Speaking after he won the champion of champions pie awards last year, Alan Pirie, from James Pirie & Son in Newtyle, just outside Blairgowrie, said in a previous interview with The Courier:
“I was delighted to have won the competition twice but to have been judged alongside literally the best pies in the land and to have come out on top is beyond my wildest dreams.
“This is just fantastic news and will be a huge boost to the business after a year of continuing to serve our community with fresh produce through difficult circumstances for us all.”
Last year’s winners
The Scotch Pie award is made up of an overall winner, first runner up, second runner up and gold, silver and bronze awards, ranked in that order.
Other categories include a Diamond award for their first place winner.
Last year’s top prize winners from Tayside and Fife include:
- James Pirie and Son (Newtyle) – World Champions
Scotch Pies: Goodfellow and Steven (Dundee) – Gold
Sausage Rolls: Tom Courts Quality Foods (Burntisland) – Diamond, winner
Bridie: Scott Brothers (Dundee) – Diamond, winner
Steak Pie: Stuart’s Bakers & Butchers (Leven), steak and gravy pie – Gold
Football Pie and Savoury: D.G. Lindsay & Son (Perth), Steak and Gravy at Scone Thistle – Gold; Scott Brothers (Dundee), Dundee Football Pie at Dundee Football Club – Gold.
The full list of last year’s winners can be seen at worldchampionshipscotchpieawards.org/categories.php