FINALLY, a true antidote to Veganuary – two of Manchester’s meatiest chefs heading to London for a showdown to create the ultimate sausage roll.
Chef patron of the Bulls Head Heyside James Taylor and supper club supremo Iain ‘Drunken Butcher’ Devine (above and, no it's not a sausage roll) will go head to head with 18 other contenders at the Red Lion Barnes on Wednesday, February 5.
It’s the eighth Great Sausage Roll Off, raising money for catering industry charity Hospitality Action, and its profile has never been higher thanks to the commitment of licensees Claire Morgan and Angus McKean.
The host is doyenne of British beer writers Melissa Cole and the judges include our own (and telly’s) Simon Rimmer and chefs from starry establishments. So no pressure there then, James and Iain.
Last year’s winner – with a Cornish pork, bacon and sage creation – Adrian Oliver from Padstow will be back and McKean told The Caterer magazine: “Every year, the competition gets bigger and better and this year is our strongest line-up ever. I can’t wait to see the weird and wonderful combinations of pastry, filling and accompaniments the chefs will submit.
“I think the incredible judging panel we have is testament to the status the Sausage Roll Off has among chefs across the UK and beyond. If you had told me, when we started in 2013, that I’d have four Michelin stars on the judging panel I’d have said you’d been putting something dodgy in your sausage roll.”
So what variations are our dynamic duo going to spring on the judges? In tandem with fellow chef Alan Paton, Iain is inspired by his student hangover cure breakfast. "It will be a classic sausage, with fresh blood black pudding, served with a smoky beer."
Trained butcher James, now running the (recommended) Bulls Head gastropub near Royton, is falling back on family values. "For my sausage roll I'm bringing back one of our most popular Bobbys Bangers sausages and for my pastry I am using a recipe from my great grandma's hand-written book."
He's pictured below with ToM faves, his sausage swirls.
