Entries open for British Pie Awards – Entrants from Fish & Chip Shops are especially welcomed for NFFF backed gong!
Entries for the 16th British Pie Awards are still open. This annual celebration of Britain’s finest
contribution to world cuisine takes place during British Pie Week, the first week in March (4-6 th ).
Entries are being particularly encouraged from Fish & Chip Shops across the country into a special class for them being sponsored by the National Federation of Fish Friers. There are over 10,000 Fish and Chip Shops in the UK with most having at least one pie on offer on their counters. Many of these pies are bought from large well known pie producers, but an increasing number of establishments are developing their own pies or buying from local artisan pie producers.
Organiser of the British Pie Awards Dr Matthew O’Callaghan OBE said; There are a significant number of pies sold by Fish & Chip shops every week and these make an important contribution to their takings. We want to encourage them to develop their own pies or to look for pies produced locally by artisan piemakers; preferably using locally sourced ingredients.
We are delighted that the National Federation of Fish Friers is sponsoring this class and hope that this partnership will encourage the growth of quality pies in this sector.
Fish & Chip Shops can enter their own pies or those supplied by them on behalf of their supplier piemaker.
The British eat over £1billion pies a year in all varieties and this is reflected in the 24 classes of pie to be judged at the Awards on 6 th March. There are pork pies, steak and kidney pies, fish pies, veggie pies, dessert pies, chicken pies, game pies, vegan pies, gluten free pies, hot-cold, sweet-savoury, in fact there’s a pie for everyone.
Pies have been eaten in Britain since at least the Middle Ages. Previously called coffyns, the original pies used pastry consisting of just flour and water to produce an inedible crust before the discovery of adding fat made for a complete wholesome meal. Pies have enriched our language including phrases such as to ‘Eat Umble Pie’ where the lord of the manor ate venison while his serfs ate the entrails of the deer (called Umbles) cooked into a pie.
Over 900 pies are normally entered into the awards judged by some 140 experts, chefs, bakers,butchers, food writers etc in the UK’s Capital of Pies Melton Mowbray. The actual judging takes place in the 12th century cathedral-style St Mary’s Church with the aroma of the pies as they are heated wafting up to the rafters like incense. The competition is fierce, each class has a winner which are then judged to arrive at the Supreme Champion or ‘Pie of Pies’.
A win at the pie awards or the award of a Gold, Silver or Bronze medal can significantly affect a retailer or piemakers business particularly those small enterprises who are just starting out.
Guest judges at the awards include NFFF President Andrew Crook & Chippy Chat Publishing Editor Austen Dack.
Entries are now open and are submitted online to www.britishpieawards.co.uk. Entries close on 16 th February, the pies needing to be delivered by hand or courier to the Awards on 5 th March ready for judging on the 6 th March. Piemakers, and everyone else, get to know who the winners are at the Awards Lunch on the 8 th March.
For more information contact the Organiser
Dr Matthew O’Callaghan OBE
07894 229499
