Scotch Egg Challenge 2012

With Euro 2012 and Wimbledon now over – and the Queen’s Jubilee a total wipeout – all attention now moves to the Scotch Egg Challenge. There’s this blasted ongoing thing called the Olympics, but what’s all that about, really? Some people skipping and jumping, some others hitting balls and throwing hammers; and plenty of lycra, sweating and tears, of course.

So, what can you expect from the Scotch Egg Challenge 2012? I’m pleased to announce that Scotch egg creators and royal conershop Fortnum & Mason will be supporting the event and supplying their chutneys on the evening for guests to enjoy alongside the competitive entries. They’ll also be demonstrating their ‘All Day Breakfast Scotch egg’ as well as recreating the first ever Scotch egg from 1738.

The judging panel is full of glitz and greed with Tom Parker Bowles, Gizzi Erskine, Eric Lanlard, Shaun Hill and erm, myself.

Visitors will be able to sample competitor’s entries and they’ll be Michelin entries as well as a variety of traditional and some ‘creative’ types. If last year’s challenge is anything to go by: duck eggs, goose eggs, quail eggs, beetroot-infused eggs, sausage meat, venison, kangaroo, chorizo, black budding, white pudding, mushroom-wrapped, bacon-wrapped and truffle oil injected, then, well… you’re all in for a treat.

So, here are the all important details:

Event: The Scotch Egg Challenge 2012
- in association with Fortnum & Mason

Venue: The Ship, Wandsworth

Date: Tuesday 25th September 2012 (from 6.30pm)

Twitter: #ScotchEggChallenge

Introducing the 2012 judges:

Tom Parker Bowles

Tom is a broadcaster and food writer for The Mail on Sunday, Pomp magazine and Esquire. He has written four books: E is for Eating: an A-Z of Greed (2004), A Year of Eating Dangerously (2006), Full English (2009) and published this year, Let’s Eat: Recipes from my kitchen notebook. No stranger to bar snacks, Tom launched luxury pork scratchings, Mr Trotters, with Matthew Fort and Rupert Ponsonby last year and describes Scotch eggs as, “…the golden orb, a porcine Hercules, or breadcrumbed Hector”.

Tom’s on Twitter: @tomparkerbowles

Gizzi Erskine

Beautiful and fashionable Gizzi Erksine, is a food writer, chef and television presenter. She is best known for presenting Channel 4’s Cook Yourself Thin and Cookery School alongside chef, Richard Corrigan. She writes a monthly column for InStyle and Fabulous magazine and her book Gizzie’s Kitchen Magic was published in 2010. A fan of all egg-related dishes, Gizzi created 12 ‘Meals in Minutes’ for British Lion Eggs, including Turkish Eggs, Keralan Egg Curry and a Marmalade and Cointreau Soufflé Omelette.

Gizzie’s on Twitter: @GizziErskine

Eric Lanlard

Eric Lanlard is a master patissier and twice winner of the prestigious Continental Patissier of the Year at the British Baking Awards. He has earned himself an international reputation for superlative cakes with an impressive A-list clientele and a global fan base. With his shop, Cake-Boy in Battersea and clients including Madonna, Liz Hurley and the Beckhams, Eric’s creations are in demand and regularly travel the world. As well as appearing in his own Channel 4 show, Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard, he has published several books, the most recent, Tart it Up!: Sweet and Savoury Tarts and Pies, was published this year.

Eric’s on Twitter: @eric_lanlard

Shaun Hill

Shaun Hill started cooking professionally at Robert Carrier’s restaurant in Islington in the late 1960s and has worked at the Gay Hussar in Soho and at the Capital Hotel in Knightsbridge. More recently, he has been head chef at Gidleigh Park in Chagford, Devon for 9 years and for 10 years chef patron of the Merchant House restaurant in Ludlow. He held a Michelin star for 20 years, was the AA restaurant guide’s chef’s chef of 2003, won the trade’s version of an oscar, the Caterer chef award in 1990 and its restaurateur award in 2001, also the Egon Ronay guide chef of the year award in 1993.

Shaun has worked with Fortnum & Mason since 2006 developing dishes and consulting. In December 2007 he re-opened The Walnut Tree in Abergavenny.

Shaun’s on Twitter: @shaundhill

David J Constable

David is a journalist who writes on travel, food and culture. He is the creator of Scotch egg blog, Forever Eggsploring as well as co-creator of The Scotch Egg Challenge. He has written for numerous titles including Esquire, London Evening Standard, Pomp, Vertu Select, The Arbuturian, Foodepedia, and Fire and Knives. He is a member of The Royal Geographical Society and The Guild of Beer Writers. David spends much of his year travelling.

David’s on Twitter: @davidjconstable

For more news and updates on the #ScotchEggChallenge read The Ship’s blog: www.theship.co.uk/blog

To enter this year’s challenge please email ship@youngs.co.uk to request an entry form

For all press and PR enquiries please contact: rochelle@rochecom.com or donald@rochecom.com