Chippy takes top British Pie Awards accolade

Some of the best piemakers in the country gathered in the town’s St Mary’s Church to see Barnard Castle’s Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish and Chip Shop announced as overall champion from the hundreds of delicious entries.

Their Minted Wensleydale Lamb and Potato Pie was earlier named winner of the hotly contested Lamb Pie category against 35 other contenders before it named ‘Pie of Pies’ – Britain’s top pie of the year – at the end of the ceremony.

Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish and Chip Shop has been serving customers in the town since 1950, with husband and wife team, David and Lydia Sumter, taking the helm in 2012.

It has a reputation for the quality of its fish and chips and the handmade pies which Lydia has been making daily for the last 12 years.

Judges were impressed with the Minted Wensleydale Lamb and Potato Pie with comments including ‘this is a come and eat me pie’, that the ‘pastry is a poem, perfectly seasoned and wonderfully flakey’ and that the ‘filling is very well balanced, meat is beautifully tender and the mint is coming through well’.

The Barnard Castle shop succeeds Brockleby’s Pies, of Asfordby Hill, in winning the Supreme Champion title following its success last year with its Moo and Blue steak, ale and Stilton entry.

Matthew O’Callaghan, chairman of the Melton Pork Pie Association and host of the British Pie Awards, said: "On Wednesday we had the pleasure of tasting some delicious pies, and Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish and Chip Shop stood out against the competition to triumph in the Lamb Pie category, and then go on to be crowned Supreme Champion, which is no easy feat.

"The winning pie was evenly baked with tender pieces of lamb, soft potato and a subtle minted sauce that was absolutely delicious.

"I’d like to offer my congratulations to Lydia and the team, a well-deserved winner.”

This was the 16th year of the awards and almost 150 judges had another difficult take in deciding the winners of the 24 classes.

There was local success for Asfordby’s pub The Crown (Stine Hospitality) winning the Beef and Cheese Pie Class with its signature steak and Stilton pie.

And over the border in Rutland, Oakham-based Kavanaghs Tea Room triumphed with their Italian Job (Melanzane Pie) in the Free From Pie Class.

This year’s Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Class was won by a Tesco Melton Mowbray Pork Pie 440g, produced by Samworth Brothers, which is headquartered in Melton.

This year’s awards saw the introduction of a new category for Fusion Pie, which combines the British tradition of a fully enclosed pastry but with fillings based on flavour profiles from around the world.

Pie experts entered in their droves, rustling up a delicious storm of global flavoured pie fillings including twists to popular takeaway favourites like a Chicken Katsu Pie, Duck Legs and Spring Onion in Hoisin Sauce Pie, and a Greek-inspired Feta and Greens Filo Pastry Pie.

However, it was Bristol-based Pieminister’s Harissa and Chicken Pie which went on to make history, becoming the first ever winner for the Fusion Pie class.

FULL LIST OF 2024 WINNERS:

Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Class – Tesco Melton Mowbray Pork Pie 440g by Samworths Savoury Pastry (Leicester);

Pork Pie Class – Pork Pie by AE.Chambers Ltd (Nottingham);

Cold Eating Savoury Pie Class – Robinsons of Stilton. Chicken and Ham Pie by Robinsons of Stilton Ltd (Peterborough);

Pastry Class – Chicken Bhaji Pasty by Proper Cornish Ltd (Cornwall);

Dessert Pie Class – Turner's Dutch Apple Pie by Turner’s Pies Ltd (Chichester);

Steak & Kidney Pie Class – Measures Traditional Steak & Kidney Pie by Measures Butchers (Cambridgeshire);

Beef Pie Class – Pure South Beef & Peppercorn Sauce Pie by Fuud Ltd by FUUD Ltd (Leigh-On-Sea, Essex);

Beef & Alcohol Pie Class – Martins Wagyu Beef & Ale Pie by Martins (Shropshire);

Beef & Cheese Pie Class – The Crown signature steak & stilton pie by Stine Hospitality Ltd (Asfordby, Leicestershire);

Beef & Vegetable Pie Class – Ox Cheek & Shin of Beef w/ Root Vegetables by Mēs Pies And Wine (Brent, London);

Meat & Potato Pie Class – Turner's Steak & Potato Pie by Turner’s Pies Ltd (Chichester);

Lamb Pie Class – Minted Wensleydale Lamb & Potato by Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop (Barnard Castle, Durham);

Chicken, Chicken & Vegetable/Herb Pie Class – Chicken & Mushroom Pie by The Outdoor Pig Company (Alcester, Warwickshire);

Chicken with Other Meat Pie Class – Chicken Leek and Ham Hock Pie by Bowring Butchers (Nottingham);

Game & Speciality Meat Pie Class – Pheasant, Venison, Bacon, Black Pudding & Quail Egg Pie by The Bell Hotel & Pie Shop (Buckinghamshire);

Hot-Eating Savoury Pie Class – The Bell's Christmas Pie by The Bell Hotel & Pie Shop (Buckinghamshire);

Fish Pie Class – WeeCOOK Fishwife Pie by WeeCOOK (Carnoustie in Angus, Scotland);

Vegetarian Pie Class – The Bell's Sweet Potato, Spinach and Coconut Curry Pie by The Bell Hotel & Pie Shop (Buckinghamshire);

Vegan Pie Class – Butternut Chilli & Vegan Cheese Pie by Turner’s Pies Ltd (Chichester);

Pub Pie Class – The Two Brewers Steak & Stilton Pie by Paul's Proper British Pies (Buckinghamshire);

Sports Pie Class – Cheeky Beef & Fondant Potato by Paul's Proper British Pies (Buckinghamshire);

Fish & Chip Shop Pie Class – Cheesy Potato & Onion Pie by The Cods Scallops (Nottingham);

Free From Pie Class – Italian Job (Melanzane Pie) by Kavanaghs (Oakham, Rutland);

Fusion Pie Class – Pieminister Harissa Chicken Pie by Pieminister (Bristol);

Supreme Champion ‘Pie of Pies’ – Lamb Pie Class: Minted Wensleydale Lamb & Potato by Middleton-In-Teesdale Fish & Chip Shop (Barnard Castle, Durham).