Since 2013, we have been giving this much overlooked buffet item the attention it deserves with the creation of the almost, nearly, infamous, Great Sausage Roll Off. A bit like the X Factor meets Masterchef, it is an evening of crazy culinary pleasure, taken in the most seriously light hearted way. 

It is a live cooking event where around 20 professional chefs take their turns to create, roll and bake their own take on the Sausage Roll. It’s no mean feat, the cooking goes on in heats and lasts up to four hours!

This year’s event held on the 5th February will see 20 chefs fighting for the title and will also be raising money for Hospitality Action. It will once again be compared by Beer & Food writer Melissa Cole. New to the Great Sausage Roll Off this year are sponsors Asahi, the returning sponsors are Rational UK, I.O Shen Knives, Netherton Foundry, Mrs R’ganics and our very own Fuller’s. 

The 2020 Great Sausage Roll Off will be held on the 5th February our Michelin star-studded judging panel comprises of TV celebrity chef and Sunday Brunch presenter & chef Simon Rimmer, Heart FM DJ Lucy Horobin, Chef Paul Cunningham (two stars) –of Henne Kirkeby Kro in Denmark, Chef Russell Bateman (one star) – head chef at Petrus and chef Paul Foster (one star) chef /owner of Salt in Stratford upon Avon

The contestants final line up:

Danny Kingston - Food Urchin via Essex

Majella O'Connell - Pavlova & Cream, London

Davin Browning - Theatre Royal, Plymouth

Maurizio Pellegrini - The Italian Club Bakery, Liverpool

Charlie Hodson - Charlie’s Norfolk Food Heroes

Alan Chilton - Bower inn, Bridgwater

Anton Manganaro - BAFTA, Piccadilly, London

Adrian Oliver  - Cornish Field Kitchen, Padstow

Jason Thomas Ring  - Vacherin, London

Alec Tomasso  - The Weeping Chef, St Albans

James Taylor - The Bulls Head, Heyside, Oldham

Adam Lestrelle - Roehampton Club, London

Ben Handley - The Duck Inn, Stanhoe, Norfolk

Matt Colk - The Gun, Docklands, London

Amber Southon - The Quarryman’s Arms , Corsham, Wiltshire

Phil Harrison  - Bears Ice Cream Company, London

Robert Taylor - The Compasses Inn, Canterbury

David Steele -  Bartlett Mitchell, London    

Iain Devine & Alan Paton - The Drunken Butcher & Alan Paton , Manchester & East Anglia

2019 Winner Adrian Oliver

Last Year’s winner was Padstow chef Adrian Oliver with a Cornish Pork, Bacon & Sage creation, a simple concept but with a five star execution, perfect balance of flavours & beautiful pastry, all the judges agreed. 

Second place AGAIN went to 2017 champ Norfolk’s Charlie Hodson

And Bronze medal position was awarded to Roll Off stalwart & 2016 champion Phil Harrison of Hammersmith’s The Bears Ice Cream Company. 

Thank you to all who bravely entered & who made the massive effort in giving up their time to trek here for the night, do not underestimate the amount of commitment it takes to enter this serious chef competition , it is definitely not for the feint hearted.

This year we made the proud decision to support a fantastic charity of Hospitality Action. The Great Sausage Roll Off has produced such a chef camaraderie over the years that it made it an obvious choice to partner. Established in 1837 Hospitality Action, the Hospitality Industry Benevolent Organisation, has offered vital assistance to all who work, or have worked within hospitality in the UK and who find themselves in crisis, if you, or somebody you know is in need of some kind of help, call the helpline on 0808 802 0282 (24/7) where someone is there to help NOW !

The Great Sausage Roll Off is huge on Twitter.  Get involved, watch the banter and use #rolloff

If you wish to apply for #rolloff 2020 it will held on the 5th February you can apply by filling in the form below …… Good Luck !