Breakfast of champions: Australia’s best porridge makers cause a stir at inaugural national competition

<p>On Saturday, a sold-out crowd cheered on as 15 contestants battled it out to claim the championship spurtle – with a pinch of Celtic salt the deciding factor</p><p>Oatmeal sloshes out of pots and into stovetop flames as contestants frantically fumble with their<strong> </strong>finishing touches. The timer is ticking down but spectators clap and cheer, their<strong> </strong>whoops ringing through the rafters of Pearl Beach memorial community<strong> </strong>hall before a voice cuts through the chaos: “please make way for the porridge carriers”.</p><p>The five cooks step back, glance at each other’s mess, and hope they’ve done enough.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/dec/21/sign-up-for-five-great-reads-guardian-australias-wrap-of-our-best-summer-stories">Sign up for a weekly email featuring our best reads</a></strong></p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/aug/09/breakfast-of-champions-australia-porridge-championships-pearly-spurtle-pearl-beach-central-coast">Continue reading...</a>