Human beings have eaten porridge for more than 32,000 years. It was the Stone Age hunter-gatherers who first added water to oats, maybe a little salt if you’re lucky, and declared it to be delicious.
Fast forward to 2025 and Sven Seljom, the winner of the world porridge championship, is calling for a revolution in how millions enjoy the breakfast staple.
The Norwegian, who triumphed over Scottish competitors at making their own national dish, has one trick to elevate the steaming mush of oats.
The business consultant says caviar, dried fish and sour cream goes perfectly with porridge and vows to prove that at the battle to claim the vaunted Golden Spurtle contest next year.
Much has been made of the ‘secret’ ancient grain which launched his porridge recipe to success in Carrbridge in the Scottish Highlands.
The black oats were eaten by the Vikings over a thousand years ago but disappeared in the 1800s – until Sven, 57, saw it resurface.
He told Metro: ‘In the late 2010s, a grower picked it up again. When I tasted it, I thought it was something completely different.
‘It is healthier and the amount of fat makes it creamier.
‘When I entered the competition I obviously tried it on a few friends andsome weren’t that thrilled, but obviously it was a success with the judges.’
Don’t mention the instant oats most Brits rely on in the UK – he labelled those ‘boring and gluey’ and ‘not a great dish.’
Now that he’s turned the world’s attention to the nuttier alternative, which can only be found in Norway, he thinks his recipe could kick-start a porridge revolution.
Sven’s timeline for tasty porridge
- Leave the porridge oats to soak overnight, as long as 24 hours.
- In the morning, start the porridge on low heat while you take a shower or get ready for the day.
- When you’re ready to eat, turn up the heat! It will be ready in six or seven minutes.
For better results Sven highly recommends steel-cut oats over rolled oats, or even try his award-winning black oats from Norway.
‘If you put a little bit more time and effort into your porridge you will be rewarded,’ Sven declares.
He said: ‘It’s going to be tricky to have an impact because black oats are not easy to find outside of Norway.
‘But the audience were allowed to taste leftovers and at least 100 people came up to me and said it was the best porridge they had ever eaten.
‘So maybe now some farmers might start growing it in the UK.’
Oats is not the only way Sven wants to make waves.
Each year, the Golden Spurtle also hosts a ‘Speciality Porridge’ category, where entrants can get creative with a variety of ingredients.
This year it was won by food stylist Caroline Velik from Australia, whose creation featured Bundaberg banana toffee rum liqueur, bananas, oatmeal and waffle seeds.
Sven has some rather fishy ideas (literally) for how he’ll take the crown off Velik next year.
He explained: ‘What I wanted to do for my speciality porridge this year was to bring with me some cured mushrooms from Norway, and dried fish.
‘Next year I was also thinking about making blinis and serving them with sour cream and salmon caviar.
‘I’m hoping to bring with me some more exotic ingredients maybe next year.’
Blinis are yeasted pancakes, traditionally from Russia, and made from buckwheat flour and served with caviar.
As for how he’s going to win the traditional porridge category again (which requires only oatmeal, water and salt), he’s not entirely sure.
He says it is already the ‘best porridge’ he’s ever tasted.
Sven is also keen to dispel claims that porridge belongs to his North Sea neighbours in Scotland.
He insisted: ‘It’s also a very popular dish in Norway. We have been eating it since the Vikings.
‘There are restaurants which just serve porridge here. So it was a very humbling experience to win this competition.’
Hunter-gatherers ate oats as far back as 32,000 years ago way before farming, The New Scientist reported.
Scientists at the University of Florence, made the discovery by analysing starch grains on an ancient stone grinding tool from southern Italy.
Today, porridge made of oats is the most common type enjoyed by Brits, but, according to the study, ancient Scots are believed to have eaten a wheat porridge.
If Sven’s family have anything to do with it, porridge will have a firm place in the future too.
His children were raised on the breakfast staple, and his toddler grandson is already feasting on the oats at a young age.
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