THREE Cumbrian-based piemakers have triumphed with multiple accolades at the 12th annual British Pie Awards.
Held at the Rural Capital of Food in Melton Mowbray, this year’s British Pie Awards saw a whopping 884 pies entered from 160 professional pie bakers, butchers and chefs from around the country. After an extensive judging process on each pie’s appearance, taste and skills by 110 experts, the pies on parade across all 23 classes were crowned on Friday 6th March.
Ever since Dales Traditional Butchers’ current owner Mark Duckworth followed his second love of pie-making, the Cumbrian-based family butchers has continued to pick up multiple awards for its delicious meat pies. At the 2020 British Pie Awards, the producers received ultimate pie glory, being named the winner of the Cold-Eating Savoury Pie Class with its Pork & Black Pudding Pie. Plus, with the highest scoring pie of the whole competition, it won the Small Producer Award – dedicated to one small but mighty pie-maker each year.
Idyllic country pub, The Bay Horse Winton, has also been Highly Commended for its succulent Steak & Ale Pie within the Beef & Ale Pie Class, as well as previous 2016 Supreme Champion winner –Huddleston’s Butchers, which was praised with a Highly Commended in the Pork Pie Class.
West Sussex-based Turner’s Pies has been crowned overall Supreme Champion with its Top Rump Steak & Stilton Pie, replacing last year’s ‘Pie of Pies’ winner – Jon Thorner’s Curried Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Vegan Pie. The family-run bakery is no stranger to Britain’s most hotly contested pie-athon, taking home the cup in 2018 with a near-perfect score of 99/100. This year, Turner’s has also won Class Champion in the Beef and Cheese Pie Class, scooping a full baker’s dozen of awards in total.
British Pie Awards organiser Dr Matthew O’Callaghan said: “Turner’s of Sussex certainly know how to make an excellent pie. They won Supreme Champion in 2018 with their Steak & Ale Pie and now they’ve done it again but this time with Stilton cheese. Cheese in pies was a winning formula this year, appearing in five winning classes.”
The Awards also celebrated the flourishing bakers just starting out in the industry with the introduction of the Best Newcomer Award. Piha Pies from London scooped this inaugural prize for their dedication to honing their pie-crafting skills.
Back by popular demand, the Fish & Chip Shop Pie Class made its return to the British Pie Awards, won by The Cods Scallops that have once again dominated the class for the second year with a Chicken, Leek and Ham Pie.
About the Awards, O’Callaghan praises: “For the past 12 years, we’ve judged well over 9,000 pies since the Awards were first founded in 2009. During that time the quality and range of pies submitted have increased significantly; a tribute to the craft and skills of the British piemaker.
“It goes without saying that the British Pie Awards would not be what they are today without our many judges, sponsors, volunteers and – of course – all the piemakers. Congratulations to all who took home awards and we look forward to seeing you next year.”
For further information on the British Pie Awards, visitwww.britishpieawards.co.uk and follow @britishpies on Twitter.
