World Porridge Making Championship: World porridge making champion crowned with winning Norwegian oats dish

First-time competitor Sven Seljom, from Madnal in Norway, won the coveted title at the event in Carrbridge with his porridge dish made from Norwegian Black Oats.

The championship, which is in its 32nd year, requires contestants to prepare traditional porridge using only three ingredients – water, oatmeal and salt.

Thirty competitors representing 14 countries including the USA, Canada, Norway, Australia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Finland took part this year, while organisers said the event had attracted its largest ever audience.

Mr Seljom, a care technology consultant, said it was a “great honour” to be crowned this year’s winner.

He said: "I’m lost for words. It has been such great fun to be here - the welcome in the village, the hall arrangements, it’s just been tremendous.

“I heard about the World Porridge Making Championship many years ago on Norwegian radio and thought it sounded really different, and I’ve wanted to enter ever since.”

Norwegian Black Oats are an ancient grain which used to be grown all over Europe, but disappeared in the 1800s.

His winning dish combined the oats with Norwegian sea salt and water which he brought with him from home.

“I started experimenting with different types of steel cut oats,” said Mr Seljom.

“I really love the texture. The oats I used came from an organic farm, and I soaked them for 24 hours before the competition."

Hundreds of people packed out the Carrbridge village hall and other venues around the village to watch the competition and thousands more joined via livestream on Facebook and YouTube.

The judges, who included former pastry chef at The Gleneagles Hotel, Neil Mugg, and cookery book writer Coinneach Macleod, scored each entry on taste, texture and colour.

In addition to the traditional World Porridge Making Champion title, a second award for ‘Best speciality dish’, which can include any recipe made with oatmeal, was presented to Australian food stylist, Caroline Velik.

Ms Velik’s Porridge Jaffles, a yogurt flatbread, were filled with her mother's recipe for rum bananas, with Bundaberg banana toffee rum liqueur, bananas, oatmeal and waffle seeds, tossed in Davidson plum sugar.

The event was hosted by Scottish MasterChef finalist, Sarah Rankin.

Porridge Chieftain, Alan Rankin, said: "Congratulations to Sven on taking home the highly-coveted title of World Porridge Making Champion and the Golden Spurtle trophy.

“The standard this year was exceptional, and it’s wonderful to see the event continuing to go from strength-to-strength. The event relies on spirited competitors, our sponsors and the legion of local residents who volunteer their time each year.”

Alan Meikle, managing director at sponsor, Hamlyns of Scotland, added: “Porridge is at the heart of Scotland’s food culture, and Hamlyns is proud to support the Championship and celebrate one of Scotland’s favourite foods.”