Director of the Scottish Food Guide and Scottish Cheese Trail, Wendy Barrie will join the jury of the 2026 European Young Chef Award, hosted by Gozo, European Region of Gastronomy 2026, from 29 November – 2 December 2026.
Cook, food writer and specialist in Food Tourism and Quality Assurance, Wendy founded her independent award-winning Scottish Food Guide, with its associated Scottish Cheese Trail and Scottish Farm Shops in 2002, supporting collaborations with artisan producers, consumers and like-minded chefs. She was also named Scotland’s Thistle Regional Ambassador (2018/9) and has been recognized as an Expert for IGCAT (International Institute of Gastronomy Culture, Arts and Tourism) since 2021.
Wendy is Scotland’s Slow Food Leader for the Ark of Taste and Cooks Alliance. She was responsible for proposing and registering both Scotland’s Presidia with Slow Food International: the Orkney Boreray Community and the North Ronaldsay Sheep. Together with her husband Bosse, a heritage farmer and Swedish genebank specialist, they published a book “Meadows: The Swedish Farmer & The Scottish Cook” on biodiversity and regenerative food production. Wendy runs sustainable food travel experiences at their Fife food studio on topics including artisan cheese, food heritage and native breeds.
Chair of the Edinburgh Bakers (Baxters) Trust, supporting artisan bakers and heritage grains, Wendy co-founded the Scottish Bread Championship in 2017. A dedicated supporter of education, she played a key role in Scotland’s pioneering school lunch programme and has created several sustainable cooking modules for students.
She regularly shares her expertise on international platforms, participating on food tourism and biodiversity across Europe. Wendy has also contributed & collaborated at several Terra Madre, a delegate from its inaugural gathering in 2004 onwards and is a Member of IGCAT Global Experts Network.
Wendy enjoys the rural backwaters of Småland on their small organic croft. She has been listed among the Top 100 Women in Tourism in 2020.
Reflecting on her role as jury member for the 2026 European Young Chef Award, Wendy states:
“It is an honour to support this inspiring initiative and a pleasure to witness the emerging skills, mindful sourcing and imaginative dishes created by these gifted young chefs.”
About IGCAT’s European Young Chef Award
The European Young Chef Award is an annual competition organised by the International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Art and Tourism (IGCAT) that gathers young culinary talents from the awarded and candidate European Regions of Gastronomy. Selected each year through local contests, finalists to the European Young Chef Award compete by innovating traditional recipes from their regions using local ingredients.
The 10th edition of the European Young Chef Award is organised and promoted by IGCAT and hosted by Gozo, European Region of Gastronomy awarded 2026. The competition will be held at the ITS-Institute of Tourism Studies on 29 November-2 December 2026.
About the World/European Regions of Gastronomy
World/European Regions of Gastronomy, guided by IGCAT, are working together to strengthen food security through the celebration of distinctive food cultures; create employment by stimulating creativity and gastronomic innovation; nourish children and adults through culinary and cultural education; driving environmental sustainability in tourism, hospitality and agricultural sectors; supporting balance and sustainable tourism practices; highlighting and supporting expertise from within rural and urban communities, creating connections and sharing good practices; and contributing to community health and well-being.
About IGCAT
IGCAT aims to empower local communities by raising awareness of the importance of protecting and promoting distinct regional food, culture, arts and natural assets as part of sustainable and balanced tourism and development strategies. This is essential to safeguarding our planet, health, wellness and local economies.
IGCAT is a non-profit institute established in 2012, working with regional stakeholder consortiums in the fields of gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism. It counts on the expertise of a worldwide network of experts and works in partnership with specialised intergovernmental organisations.
of gastronomy, culture, arts and tourism. It counts on the expertise of a worldwide network of experts and works in partnership with specialised intergovernmental organisations.
IGCAT founded the World/European Region of Gastronomy Award and is the official secretariat for the World/European Regions of Gastronomy Platforms. Furthermore, the Institute has developed the European Young Chef Award, the World Food Gift Challenge, the Top Websites for Foodie Travelers Award and the international Food Film Menu.
