News

More than a third of the businesses shortlisted for the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards 2022 hail from Tayside and Fife.

Fifteen firms from areas including Arbroath, Dundee, Perth and Dunfermline will go head-to-head to take home an array of accolades for the region.

Now in its 22nd year, the annual judging day for the competition was held earlier this month (November) with more than 70 butchers and bakers delivering around 420 of the nation’s best pies for 50-plus judges to sample.

Each entry was carefully assessed for its appearance, consistency and taste under the watchful eye of head judge, Ian Nelson.

The judges selected a series of “best in category” pies including the 2022 World Championship Scotch Pie, although for this ultimate category there is one final stage to determine – a “mystery shop”.

This will ensure the Scotch pie entered into the awards is exactly the same pie that is sold day in and day out to customers.

Of the 42 businesses shortlisted, 15 based in Tayside and Fife were among those recognised in one of the 11 categories.

The shortlist included:

• Arbroath – DH Robertson
• Carnoustie – WeeCOOK
• Newtyle – James Pirie & Son
• Cupar – Fisher & Donaldson
• Dundee – Goodfellow & Steven, Grossett Butchers, Nicoll’s Rosebank Bakery and MacDonald and Son
• Perth/Perthshire – Murray’s Bakers and Sugar and Spice
• Lochore – S M Bayne Co
• Dunning – Simon Howie Foods
• Leven – Stuart’s Bakers and Butchers
• Buckhaven – WF Stark
• Dunfermline – Stephens Bakery

Angus firm, James Pirie & Son, who previously won the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards in 2018 and 2020, was Crowned the Champion of Champions in the World Scotch Pie Awards last year.

The categories included Scotch pie, football pies and savouries, macaroni pie, steak pie, sausage roll, cold savoury, hot savoury, haggis savoury, bridie and apple pies.

The winner will be announced at a prestigious lunch on January 18 at the Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld, hosted by TV presenter Carol Smillie.

Alasdair Smith, chief executive of Scottish Bakers who run the competition on behalf of baker and butchery trades, said: “Announcing the shortlist is such a momentous moment as it’s the first inkling our contestants get that their pies have been judged to be the best of a very good field, so it is with great pleasure that we can announce that these bakers have made it through.

“We took delivery of over 400 entries this year, so to be on the shortlist is a huge achievement.

“And for me it’s great to be recognising products which have been lovingly made from scratch from locally sourced ingredients, freshly made daily by skilled craftspeople.”