Success for two Buckhaven butchers

Delicious traditional Scotch pies and sausage rolls have secured two coveted Gold Awards for Buckhaven butcher W F Stark.
Amos Smith from WF Stark, Buckhaven. 
Picture by Graeme Hart.Amos Smith from WF Stark, Buckhaven. 
Picture by Graeme Hart.
Amos Smith from WF Stark, Buckhaven. Picture by Graeme Hart.

The College Street butchers, owned by Amos Smith, wowed the judges at the Scottish Craft Butchers Savoury Pastry Products Awards 2018.

A delighted Amos revealed that he owed much of the success of his traditional products to his predecessor Bill Stark.

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He said: “Many of the recipes we use today are Bill’s – with a little tweak here and there.

Staff member Carol from Stuarts Bakers & Butchers, Buckhaven. 
Picture by Graeme Hart.Staff member Carol from Stuarts Bakers & Butchers, Buckhaven. 
Picture by Graeme Hart.
Staff member Carol from Stuarts Bakers & Butchers, Buckhaven. Picture by Graeme Hart.

Amos took over the business 13 years ago but maintained the name which was synonymous with top quality.

He continued: “It’s great to do well in the SCB Awards. They are an endorsement from our peers and the industry that what we are doing is Gold standard and that’s good for the business, the staff and the customers.

Also taking home an award was Buckhaven butcher R T Stuart, whose outstanding handheld steak pie earned a coveted Gold Award in the national industry evaluation.

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Stuart Bakers and Butchers also lifted three Silver Awards for their bridies, Scotch pies and haggis and gravy pies. The sixth generation family butchers and bakers has 16 bakery shops and five butchers plus they supply around 160 wholesale outlets with their products.

Staff member Carol from Stuarts Bakers & Butchers, Buckhaven. 
Picture by Graeme Hart.Staff member Carol from Stuarts Bakers & Butchers, Buckhaven. 
Picture by Graeme Hart.
Staff member Carol from Stuarts Bakers & Butchers, Buckhaven. Picture by Graeme Hart.

The company now employs a total workforce of around 200 at their Methil head office and various shops. Stuarts make all their pastry themselves and use only Scottish and Irish beef for their traditional pie and meat pastry product recipes which have been handed down since 1857.

Douglas Scott, chief executive of Scottish Craft Butchers, said this year’s Savoury Pastry evaluation has seen a record number of entrants, reflecting the growing importance of independent assessment of butchers’ pastry products.

“The evaluation drives up standards year after year,” he said, “all to the benefit of the customer. Identifying the very best is of immense importance since these are the products that pastry enthusiasts will travel big distances to source.

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“Awards are not given out lightly,” added Douglas. “Every one of the butchers recognised can be rightly proud of their products and their customers can purchase with high expectations of great taste. These awards show customers just what a high standard their local butcher sets.”