Lewis Pupil Wins School Burger Challenge

A pupil from The Nicolson Institute on the Isle of Lewis has emerged as the overall winner in the schools burger challenge run by Quality Meat Scotland’s Scotch Butchers Club.

Twelve-year-old Callum MacRichie lifted the overall top prize in the competition, which had a “My Town, My Burger” theme and attracted around 250 entries.

Callum took inspiration from the Isle of Lewis’ native language, to create his Gaelic “Big Marag Burger”. The burger, created using Specially Selected Pork along with ingredients including apple and the famous Stornoway Black Pudding was produced by Callum with help from butcher Neil Finlayson from Charles Macleod butchers.

Scottish singer and presenter Michelle McManus, who shot to stardom after winning ITV’s Pop Idol, announced the winner and congratulated all the pupils for the innovation and creativity in their superb entries. She also performed two songs on the QMS stand to congratulate all the finalists.

Callum said he was delighted and surprised that his burger was awarded first place in the competition judged by independent butchers, Stewart McClymont and Gordon King from the Scottish Meat Training, along with Graeme Finlay from the Scottish Qualifications Authority and blogger Iain Fenwick of Citylicious.

The judges said they had been very impressed with the standard of all three finalist entries, with the final points very close.

The other two finalist schools included St Stephens in Port Glasgow, where pupils worked with Drew McKenzie from Robert Alexander Butchers to create their “Chilli-ing on the Clyde” burger, using Scotch Beef.

And Euan Twyford from Currie Community High School worked with John Saunderson from John Saunderson Butchers to create the “Currie Curry Burger”, using Scotch Lamb.

Jennifer Robertson, Health and Education Co-ordinator with QMS said: “The competition was a brilliant a chance for Scottish pupils to show off the imagination and creativity and we were really impressed with the entries.

“Our congratulations go to all the finalists and, indeed, to all the schools who took part and showed off their pride in the fantastic ingredients we have here in Scotland.”