Fife butcher up for best Scotch Pie in Scotland award

Is this the best Scotch Pie in Scotland?

R T Stuart, which won the competition in 2007 with its iconic Scotch Pie, has confirmed that it will go head-to-head with 14 other past winners in a blind taste-off by two pie experts who will determine which pie looks and tastes the best.

Keith Stuart of R T Stuart said: “The World Scotch Pie Championship is one of the key events in our calendar each year and we were not sure if it would go ahead but when Scottish Bakers announced this one-off format for 2021 we jumped at the chance to pit our pie against the best of the best. We are confident we will win of course.”

Scottish Bakers, the trade association that supports the bakery trade in Scotland and which each year brings you The World Championship Scotch Pie Awards, announced late last year that the competition will run this year, but with a slightly different format for 2021 only!

Each year, the title is hard fought by butchers and bakers throughout Scotland and beyond but with COVID restrictions currently preventing gatherings, the 2021 competition will be a little different.

“Restrictions in place to combat Covid meant that our annual November judging day was not possible and neither was the awards lunch in January,” said Scottish Bakers chief executive, Alasdair Smith.

“So, we have taken the decision to run the competition, but with some changes for this year to ensure the Awards retain their place in the annual calendar.

“We have invited all previous World Scotch Pie Champions to enter their winning Scotch Pie into a 2021 Champions of Champions competition. They will be asked to submit their pies for a socially distanced judging with head judge Ian Nelson accompanied by Paul Long from our partner Sponsor BAKO North Western Group. Judging will be blind as always and an independent auditor will be on hand to oversee proceedings to ensure fairness all round.”

Judging will take place on May 4 with the Champion of Champions being announced on May 12, although everything is subject to possible change based on future changes to Covid measures.