Shetland Food and Drink (SFAD) is delighted to announce this year’s finalists in our cooking competitions - Peerie Bites and the Cooking Challenge .
Peerie Bites , our new competition sponsored by NorthLink Ferries , is for young cooks across Shetland. The lucky winner will have the opportunity to work with NorthLink Ferries' chefs on developing their recipe for future menus.
Entrants had to create a savoury dish whose ingredients included one or more items of Shetland produce. They also needed to create a short video (no more than two minutes) about the local ingredients they are using. There are two categories to the competition: Junior, ie those of primary school age in August 2018; and Senior, those of secondary school age in August 2018.
The finalists in the Junior category are:
Murray Jamieson from Cunningsburgh aged 8
Ruby Lawson from Cullivoe, Yell, aged 11
Vaila Thompson from Lerwick, aged 10
The finalists in the Senior category are:
Jasmine Lawson from Cullivoe, Yell, aged 12
Eva Jamieson from Cunningsburgh, aged 13
Adults’ competition the Cooking Challenge , was also very competitive. Entrants had to devise a 3-course meal which uses as many ingredients originating from either Shetland or, where not possible, Scotland, where possible. The prize is a wonderful foodie weekend in Edinburgh for the winner: return flights for two to Edinburgh courtesy of Loganair ; an overnight stay in Porteous' Studio , an architect-designed holiday home in Edinburgh; and a six-course tasting menu with matching wines at Restaurant Martin Wishart with champagne on arrival, coffee and handmade petits fours, as well as a visit to the kitchens. This year's competition is sponsored by EnQuest Sullom Voe and we are extremely grateful to them for their support.
The finalists are:
Irene Smith of Lerwick
Kenny Williamson of North Roe
Kirsten Williamson of Vidlin
We wish to say a big thank you to our judges -
Peerie Bites judges:
Malcolm White, Executive Chef, MV Hrossey, NorthLink Ferries
Gloria Beaton, Proprietor, Food by Ms Beaton, Shetland Rural Centre
Genevieve White, Editor, ‘ Shetland Life ’
Celia Smith, Blyde Welcome
Cooking Challenge judges:
Marian Armitage - Chair, Shetland Food and Drink
Jan Riise - Executive Manager – Governance and Law, Shetland Islands Council
Lynn Johnson - Hayfield Croft and Da Cake Fridge
Raymond Smith – Lecturer & Assessor, Shetland College
Marian Armitage, Chair of Shetland Food and Drink, says, “Wow, what a wonderful set of finalists! We want to say a big ‘thank you’ to everyone who applied. Please don’t be disheartened if you didn’t get through - the standard this year was very high and the judges had a very difficult decision to make. We were so impressed with everyone who has taken part. Now comes the difficult decision of selecting the winners!”
The Peerie Bites finalists will take to the stage on Saturday 6 October at the Taste of Shetland Festival, when they will show their films and cook their dishes. The final runs all afternoon on the Saturday, starting at 12.30pm, on the Seafish Peerie Stage in the Bowls Hall.
The Cooking Challenge finalists cook live on Sunday 7 October at the Taste of Shetland Festival. Their final runs all afternoon on the Sunday, starting at 1pm on the Food Theatre in the Main Hall.T