The Search is on for Best Baker in the Northern Highlands
Scottish mainland’s most northerly food festival, Taste North, calls for entries for its annual baking contest, the Taste North Challenge.
Local food, drink and artisan craft festival, Taste North, is inviting entries for its popular annual baking competition, the Taste North Challenge.
Last year’s winners, Annie Mills and Lili MacKenzie were chosen from a record number of entries in what was a tough competition, judged by a panel of local experts and the festival’s 2018 guest of honour, Tony Singh MBE.
This year, contestants need to register their intention to enter one of two categories – the Youth/ Student Category (open to all applicants from 12 to 24 years old) or the Open Category (open to all ages) by completing the registration form on the Venture North web site and returning it by 21st September.
Registered contestants will bring their baked entry along to the Taste North Festival on 6th October 2019 in John O’ Groats, to be judged by an experienced panel including the 2019 festival’s guest of honour, renowned chef, Jean Christophe Novelli.
Venture North chair, Catherine Macleod said: “The Taste North Challenge has been a highlight of the Taste North festival for years. The Northern Highland’s answer to the Great British Bake Off is always hotly contested and so much fun. Having a category specifically for young people, as well as the Open Category, enables us to shine a light on the wealth of talented local young bakers who may aspire to having a career in this field in the future and we are once again grateful to have the support of the Gordon & Ena Baxter Foundation, Developing the Young Workforce, Mackays Hotel and the Caithness Chamber of Commerce, for this popular competition.”
Event managed by tourism cooperative Venture North, the Taste North Festival has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2014, attracting 1700 visitors to the 2018 event and selling out exhibitor space in record time for the 2019 event.
Free to attend, Taste North 2019 offers up chef demonstrations by Jean Christophe Novelli, cocktail masterclasses and workshops to delight visitors and entertainment for children including ceramic painting and slime making. A highlight of the festival is the artisan food, drink and craft market featuring the best producers from across Scotland, many from Caithness and Sutherland.
More details on the Taste North Challenge and the Taste North 2019 festival can be found on the Venture North web site: https://www.venture-north.co.uk/taste-north/