The Real Food Cafe Takes 3rd Place in UK Sausage Roll Showdown
The Real Food Cafe, Scotland's iconic roadside cafe, situated in Tyndrum, Stirlingshire, has been awarded 3rd place in the prestigious ‘Great Sausage Roll Off’ national culinary competition which took place on Wednesday at The Red Lion pub in Barnes, London.
The competition showcases the culinary talents of professional cooks from across the United Kingdom, who compete to elevate one of the UK’s favourite savoury snacks into a gastronomic delight.
Out of a total of 17 finalists, The Real Food Cafe took 3 rd place with Head Baker, Kat Dima's creation, a haggis and pork sausage roll.
Professional chef, Alan Paton was declared the winner of this year’s event, with his
Battenberg sausage roll of pork and black pudding. Second place went to former BBC Masterchef contestant, Alec Tomasso from St Albans.
Kat’s sausage roll impressed the esteemed panel of judges, which included broadcasterJeremy Vine, journalist Melissa Cole, Simon Hulstone of the Michelin-starred Elephant Restaurant and Trevor Gulliver, Founder of St John restaurant.
Jeremy Vine said: "Well done Kat. She came a long way, not just in the sense of coming here from The Highlands but also in coming to this country from Romania, not speaking any English, really working her way up and then arriving here, with such an amazing demeanour and serving a sausage roll that was top three out of seventeen. It was brilliant. It was so tasty – I loved it! Thank you Kat!”
The Real Food Cafe's winning sausage roll featured a combination of MacSween's haggis and succulent pork sausag e meat from Letterfindlay Foods in Fort William. Encased in a golden, flaky, home-baked pastry, this unique twist on a classic dish captivated the judges's taste buds.
In addition to their success in the Great Sausage Roll Off competition, The Real Food Cafe has been making waves in Scotland’s culinary scene for almost 20 years. Known not only for its award-winning fish and chips but also for its innovative menu additions, the cafe recently stirred excitement among Scotland's food enthusiasts with the introduction of deep-fried Brussels sprouts to their Christmas menu.
The festive addition hit the headlines in December, drawing foodies from far and wide, all eager to experience the new take on the humble sprout.
Proceeds from The Great Sausage Roll Off competition will go to the Only A Pavement Away charity, which works tirelessly to connect employers in the hospitality industry with individuals facing or experiencing homelessness, prison leavers and veterans, helping them secure stable and long-term employment opportunities.
Sarah Heward, owner of The Real Food Café said: "This is second time lucky for us, so I am absolutely delighted that we’ve been awarded third place in this year. It is a huge accolade to be the only Scottish business in this year's final and I am so incredibly proud of Kat and her labour of love over the last few weeks in perfecting the recipe for what is now one of the best sausage rolls in the land!”
“We can’t wait to head back to Scotland and put our sausage roll straight on to The Real Food Café menu for our customers to enjoy from this weekend.”
Angus McKean, General Manager of The Red Lion said: “We started Roll Off as a bit of fun over 10 years ago and it’s been a success ever since – with entrants from all over the country and sausage roll fans travelling for a chance to try the pastry delights.”
“As well as being a chance for chefs to exhibit their savoury creations, the Great Sausage Roll Off has become a charity fundraiser. Only a Pavement Away is a fantastic charity that’s close to our hearts and many others within the hospitality industry."
Find The Real Food Cafe Sausage Roll Recipe here.
