MOGFORD PRIZE 2022: WINNER ANNOUNCED

The 2022 Mogford Prize for Food & Drink Short Story Writing has been awarded to Caitlin Venniker, from South Africa, with her short story ‘The Hunt’! Caitlin receives a prize of £10,000 along with an engraved award.

Caitlin’s short story, ‘The Hunt’, was selected from 870 entries from around the globe, with entrants featuring from Australia, USA, United Kingdom, Canada, India, Netherlands, Ireland, France, Switzerland, South Africa, Germany, Nigeria, Pakistan, Japan, Cyprus, and a special entrant from Ukraine too.

“The prose flows, the dialogue speaks. I see the landscape, I see the people. It’s a story that lives off the page. The author weaves this masterly short story with great conviction, wit and tension, and with a twist and turn at the denouement reminiscent of the great Guy de Maupassant.”

Sir Michael Morpurgo, eloquently describes the writings of the winning short story for 2022 Mogford Prize. Together, beloved novelist, poet and playwright Sir Michael Morpurgo and award-winning TV chef Andi Oliver joined founder of the prize Jeremy Mogford in assessing four shortlisted stories both on their literary merit and on the story’s fit to be published and featured in The Oxford Collection’s five star hotels and restaurants in Oxford, UK.

Guests of the Old Bank Hotel and Old Parsonage Hotel each year are treated to a brand new winning story from the annual Mogford Prize, short stories to be read from cover to cover within their luxury room or suite…

Jeremy Mogford said: “This year we were really hoping for a stand out short story to mark the tenth anniversary of our Prize to coincide with the publishing of our hard back book. ‘The Hunt’ met those hopes and expectations, more than fulfilling the brief in every way. It was an easy and unanimous decision for me and our two eminent judges.”

The Mogford Prize for Food and Drink Writing is thrilled to announce the winner of the £10,000 prize for 2022: Cailtin Venniker from South Africa, with her short story ‘The Hunt’.

“That’s why, if you think about it, you’ll realize that the musky smell of truffles is actually quite familiar. Kind of masculine. They smell like earth and wood and …”

Read her full short story as well as the 4 shortlisted stories here…

This year’s runners-up, who receive a £250 prize each, are; Derbyshire born Emily Devane with her short story ‘The Last King of Connemaidh’; ‘Drishya Maity from India, for ‘One Afternoon in South Bombay’, and a previous Mogford Prize short lister Lorna Fergusson with ‘Truth or Consequences’.

Congratulations to all!