Chicken Kiev Pie wins top prize at British Pie Awards

The coveted Supreme Champion title went this year to Lancashire’s Baldy’s Pies with their delicious Chicken Kiev Pie as the trophies were presented at St Mary’s Church, in Melton Mowbray.

This unique creation was also the winner of the Chicken & Vegetable/Herb Pie class, overcoming a record 1,040 entries from across the nation.

There were 26 categories with the Dickinson and Morris Ye Olde Pork Pie Shoppe winning the Savoury Pie class with its Stilton-Topped Pie – the Nottingham Street bakery was also highly commended in the same category with it Chilli Cheese-Topped Pie.

The team at The Plough Inn, at Hickling Basin, were also celebrating after triumphing in the Pub Pie category with its Lamb and Mint entry – the pub was also highly commended for its Pulled Chicken Fajita pie in the Fusion Pie category.

Further local success was enjoyed by Great Dalby’s March House Farm, in the Vegetarian Pie class with their Chickpea & Lentil Curry Pie.

The presentation event erupted in applause as Wigan’s Baldy’s Pies won that overal ‘Pie of Pies’ trophy – the bakery has been a multiple winner of classes over the awards’ 18-year history.

In his tasting notes on the pie, the chief judge commented that it is ‘a beautifully crafted pie with a pastry lid topping of panko, parsley with a hint of garlic which makes the pie so interesting to look at. It was filled with melt in the mouth tender chicken and had a very subtle flavour which did not overpower the natural flavours of the chicken’.

For their prize, Baldy’s will be invited to Japan, to showcase the winning pie as part of the British Food Week in October at the Hankyu Department Store in Osaka.

The record 187 judges, who spent hours taste testing them in St Mary’s Church on Wednesday, included pie connoisseurs, pie buyers from Tesco and Sainsbury’s, a selection of esteemed food writers and journalists, and the 2015 Supreme Champion, Neil Broomfield.

Matthew O’Callaghan, chairman of the Melton Pork Pie Association and host of the British Pie Awards, said: “The British Pie Awards continue to showcase the remarkable depth of talent, passion and creativity within our baking industry.

"From time-honoured regional recipes to bold and contemporary flavour combinations, this year’s entries demonstrate just how firmly the pie remains at the heart of British food culture.

"As this year’s Supreme Champion, Baldy’s represents the very pinnacle of craftsmanship and innovation, a true celebration of quality ingredients, skill and dedication.

"It has been an immense pleasure to witness such extraordinary standards once again.”

Sponsor Simon Taylor, of the Melton Building Society, said: “The British Pie Awards continue to showcase the remarkable depth of talent, passion and creativity within our baking industry.

"From time-honoured regional recipes to bold and contemporary flavour combinations, this year’s entries demonstrate just how firmly the pie remains at the heart of British food culture.”