2006 Photos

2006 Competitors

YORAM ODENTZ Dyce, Aberdeen

Yoram was born and brought up in Israel. He moved to the UK 15 years ago and is the catering manager with the contract catering company, Universal Sodexho which supplies contract catering to an Aberdeen based oil giant. Yoram is responsible for around 250 breakfast and lunches a day as well as executive dining. Porridge, cooked to demand, features on his breakfast menu. He also has a number speciality recipes including porridge with smoked haddock which is set and sliced cold like a terrine and a number of 'dessert recipes' – one of which is porridge made with Vodka.

JONAS JONSSON Sweden

Jonas (43) is from Gavle in Sweden - about 200km north of Stockholm. He works as a manager for a network communications centre and has long had a great passion for porridge. He has compiled his own cookbook on porridge which includes recipes, history, facts and memories. This is the second time that Jonas has entered the championship and is delighted to be returning to the Highlands. He originally read about the World Porridge Making Championships on the website and deciding to sign up, he ordered a spurtle from Canada and oatmeal from Scotland in order to practice his porridge making skills. Jonas has his own website which can be found at www.grot.se

ALBERT COWIE Portessie Albert, who is 71 and a retired chartered accountant, is a keen golfer who believes himself a true connoisseur of Scotland's most famous national dish. Extolling the health benefits of a daily bowl of porridge, Albert points out that the Emperor Hiroto of Japan lived to the grand old age of 96 – with his longevity no doubt achieved thanks to his daily bowl of porridge. "It is one of the healthiest foods you can eat, " says Albert who is a great believer in adding just a sprinkling of sea salt and a spot of brewers yeast to make the perfect breakfast dish.

IAN BISHOP The Slochd, Carrbridge

Local mountain bike guru and cross country ski school proprietor, Ian Bishop is one of the long-time stalwarts of the World Porridge Making Championship having competed every year since it started. "Porridge for breakfast sets me up for the day, " he claims – a sentiment every porridge enthusiast will agree with.

DAVID HUNT Perth

David is Executive Chef for Scotland and Ireland looking after training and development for major contract catering company, Sodexho which has clients across the UK. Porridge is a mainstay on the company's breakfast menu with the offer of a variety of different toppings which can be added. David himself is a devoted traditional porridge enthusiast although for a special luxury treat he believes there is nothing better than a bowl of porridge mixed with a drizzle of cream and a wee dash of whisky.

MARY COLLINGE Girvan

Mary is all of 81-years-old and a retired boarding school cook from a family which has the legacy of cooking in their blood. Mary learnt much from her granny who used to look after the kitchen for the family of one time Chancellor of the Exchequer, William Ewart Gladstone. Game to take part in the championship, Mary was planning to travel to Carrbridge from her home in Ayrshire on the City Link bus – a formidable challenge in itself with porridge oats, pots and pans and all in tow.

MARIA SOEP Roineabhal Country House, Kilchrenan

Maria has been involved the hotel and catering trade since she was 15 having learnt much about the hospitality industry from her parents who ran hotels at Ardnamurchan and Kintyre. In her younger days, Maria worked as a chalet girl which led to her being invited to return to France to take over the kitchen at the French family owned Central Hotel in the charming Pyrenean ski resort of Bareges. For the past six years, Maria has been mine host of her own country house guest house near Taynuilt where her cuisine, including her porridge breakfast, is appreciated by a wealth of discerning guests from across the world.

JEAN DEWAR Aberfeldy Oatmeal Cupar, Angus

Jean can more usually be found running the office at Aberfeldy Oatmeal but has taken up her spurtle to once again compete in the World Porridge Making Championship which she won in both 2002 and 2003. Jean is also a former speciality section winner and although she regularly uses oatmeal in the cooking of biscuits and flapjacks she maintains that she is not exactly a great porridge fan herself. Instead she has to rely on taste tips from her husband for whom she cooks a bowl of porridge for breakfast every day.

LARA SMITH The Buccleuch Arms Hotel, Moffat

Speciality Winner 2005 Lara is an experienced chef who originally hails from Zimbabwe. Concern about the political situation in their native homeland, prompted Lara and her husband to move to Scotland. The couple, who have an 18- month-old son, took on the Buccleuch Arms Hotel as a family business which they run with Lara's mother and father-in-law. Focusing on local suppliers and fresh local produce, porridge is one of the main features of the hotel's breakfast menu. As well as traditional porridge it can come served with cream, condensed milk or wild Scottish heather honey. A popular addition to the menu is Lara's speciality porridge made with a combination of white and dark chocolate.

LYNN BENGE The Pines Country House, Duthil, Carrbridge

World Porridge Making Champion 2005 Guest house owner, Lynn Benge of the Pines Country House at Duthil has been taking part in the annual World Porridge Making Championship since the start. In 2004, she won the speciality section for her recipe for porridge combined with apple, vanilla Vodka and raspberries and last year Lynn took the main porridge making champion title. Her triumph has continued to attract on-going media publicity and has also seen visitors from far and wide booking into her guest house specially to sample Lynn's traditional porridge breakfast for themselves.

ADDY DAGGERT The Cock & Bull, Blamedie

Addy is Chef Patron of the Cock and Bull at Balmedie. The Cock and Bull has just received a Michelin recommendation and is the only Michelin recommended Gastropub in the North East of Scotland. The 35-year-old Dutchman explained that porridge is a particular favourite, especially during the winter months. He thoroughly enjoyed taking part in last year's championships in which he was named among the runners up and is looking forward to competing again this year.

ALEC COUTTS Inverness

A retired farmer, 81-year-old Alec Coutts is a dedicated porridge enthusiast who never misses his daily bowl of the traditional national dish which he believes has helped contribute towards his good health. Alec was one of the finalists in the very first World Porridge Championship held back in 1994 and this year is representing Australian pensioners, Velvet and Alastair Perston. Unable to travel to Scotland, themselves, the elderly couple asked that someone volunteer to take part in the contest on their behalf. Alec was delighted to oblige.

COLEEN HAYWARD MACLEOD Fort George, Inverness

Sgt Coleen Hayward MacLeod serves as a chef with the 1st Royal Irish Regiment where she makes sure porridge is on the daily breakfast menu for the 300-400 troops stationed at Fort George. Originally from Stornoway, Coleen signed up 18 years ago and just loves army life. As well as a posting in Iraq, she has traveled far and wide including Hong Kong and Kenya and has just returned from an army exercise in Jamaica.

ERIC DICKSON The Compass Group, Edinburgh

Eric works for The Compass Group which is said to be one of the world's largest food service companies. He is chef in charge of serving around 3,500 breakfasts a day plus he prepares and serves all the food at the Italian food bar at lunchtime for the staff working at the Royal Bank of Scotland's Edinburgh headquarters. With porridge becoming increasingly popular, Eric and his team serve both a salted and sweetened version with variety of specialties added to the menu. Eric's own particular favourite is porridge with honey and marinated with whisky soaked apricots.

MARI-ANN MACNEILL Stoat's Porridge Bar, Inverness

Mari-Ann originally trained as a graphic designer but turned her hand to catering after a weekend job at an Inverness hotel to help her pay her way through college resulted in the head chef recruiting her as his pastry chef. Her flair in the kitchen now sees her running Stoat's Porridge Bar with the help of partner Al. Their state-of-the-art mobile unit is much in demand for festivals and Mari-Ann is hoping to soon get a permanent pitch in Inverness City Centre. Although she appreciates the variety which can be created with different ingredients added to porridge, Mari-Ann is a traditionalist at heart - having been brought up on the benefits of a hearty bowl of porridge for breakfast by her granny.

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