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Cullen Skink World Championships returns to Moray for the first time in three years – do you have what it takes to win?

The Moray coastal town of Cullen will once again host the Cullen Skink World Championships, and reigning champ Margaret Macrae is all set to return.
The Moray coastal town of Cullen will once again host the Cullen Skink World Championships, and reigning champ Margaret Macrae is all set to return.

The world’s best skink cooks will once again flock to Moray as a date is set for the return of the Cullen Skink World Championships.

The last competition was held in March 2020 just before the Covid pandemic shut down the UK.

Now, three years on, organisers have announced that the next edition – the eighth – will be held in Cullen on Sunday March 26.

David McCubbin, chair of Discover Cullen, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see the return of the World Championships.

“We are very proud to be the birthplace of Cullen skink and to celebrate the dish in this way by hosting the competition is a real delight.”

The Seafield Arms Hotel in Cullen will hold the 2023 championships, taking over from usual host the Cullen Bay Hotel.

Cullen’s Seafield Arms Hotel will host the 2023 edition. Image: Sandy McCook./DC Thomson

The Seafield will be packed with dozens of hopefuls looking to win one of the two trophies on offer.

Up for grabs is the title of Best Traditional Cullen Skink and Best Cullen Skink with a Twist.

‘Longest-reigning champion’ back to defend titles

In 2020, Margaret Macrae, from the Kyle of Lochalsh, took both trophies for the first time in the event’s history.

To secure her twist victory, Mrs Macrae, who runs Buth Bheag’s Fisherman’s Kitchen, added langoustines poached in cooking alcohol to her skink.

Mrs Macrae told the Press & Journal on Monday she will return to Cullen to defend both of her crowns in March.

However, the Ross-shire woman was not optimistic of taking back-to-back victories.

“I’d be chased out of Cullen if that happened,” she said with a laugh. “A west-coaster coming in? No, I don’t think so.”

Margaret Macrae took home both titles in 2020.

After her 2020 win was unexpectedly turned into a three-year reign thanks to the global pandemic, Mrs Macrae is happy to be returning to Cullen.

“It was probably the only good thing to come out of Covid,” she said of pandemic hiatus. “I’m the longest-reigning champion.”

“But [the event] is really good crack,” added Mrs Macrae, who also won the twist title in 2017.

“All the spectators come round and look at what your doing and you get to chat to them all.”

The history behind the soup-er north-east competition

The Cullen Skink World Championships has been pitting makers of the famous soup against each other since 2012.

Every year, competitors make the pilgrimage to Cullen to try and secure the coveted title of Cullen Skink world champion.

The dish consists of smoked haddock, potatoes and onions and originated in the little coastal town.

Cullen skink is made with potato, onion and smoked haddock. Image: Chris Sumner/DC Thomson

The Cullen Voluntary Tourist Initiative is behind the Cullen Skink World Championships. The event free of charge to members of the public.

The winners will be announced at 4pm.

Competition entries are now open and forms can be downloaded from www.discovercullen.com. Hopefuls can also email visit@discovercullen.com or call 01542 841519.

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