Pie makers from across Scotland and further afield have the chance to see their products receive the ultimate accolade, with the news that the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards 2023/4 has opened for entries.
This long running and hotly contested annual search for pie perfection provides entrants with the opportunity to show off their skills and subject their prized pies to the scrutiny of a panel of independent experts who will carefully consider each and every entry before selecting the best and naming one the World Champion Scotch Pie.
In addition to Scotch pies, registered food businesses including bakers, butchers and other pie makers are invited to enter products across a further nine categories including Football Pies & Savouries, Macaroni Pie, Steak Pie, Sausage Roll, Hot Savoury, Vegetarian Savoury, Haggis Savoury, Bridie and Apple Pies. Awards will be given to the best products in each category and the winner of the Scotch Pie category will be declared world champion.
Online entry registration is open until 31 October and products should be delivered to Carnegie Conference Centre, Halbeath Road, Dunfermline, KY11 8DY between 9am and 11am on 15 November 2023 for judging.
The competition aims to highlight the humble pie in all its forms and the skill demonstrated in creating high-quality pastry products, with the intention of rewarding the commitment of pie producers and raising industry standards.
The competition is organised by the Scottish Bakers trade association. Its chief executive Lesley Cameron commented: “We are delighted to be launching the World Scotch Pie Championships for 2023/4 and it’s my first one so I can’t wait. We know there are hundreds of hard-working butchers, bakers and other pie makers who bake perfect pies day in and day out and now it’s time for them to put their products to the ultimate test! We wish all our entrants good luck.”
Last year’s event was won by James Pirie & Son, a Blairgowie-based butcher that is to pie making what Brazil is to football. The business also triumphed in 2020 and in 2018, and was also crowned World Scotch Pie Champion of Champions in 2021.
This year’s winners will be revealed at an awards lunch on 16 January 2024 at the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld.
