Family bakery celebrates top pie award in big Melton contest

Turner's Pies celebrate being named Supreme Champions at the British Pie Awards 2018, from left Philip Turner, chairman of the awards Matthew O'Callaghan, Pip Turner, awards organiser Stephen Hallam, and Peter Turner EMN-181203-104414001

A steak and ale pie produced by Turner’s Pies beat off competiton from more than 900 other pies to be named Supreme Champion.

Representatives of the West Sussex producer got the good news at a presentation dinner on Friday at St Mary’s Church in Melton, two days after 130 judges had chomped their way through a variety of pies entered by 177 piemakers from across the UK.

The company Tweeted afterwards: “Absolutely honoured to be named the Supreme Champion 2018 at this years British Pie Awards.”

It was a double celebration firm as they also won the overall category for Small Producer with their steak and ale pie.

Oakham’s Leeson Family Butchers won the award for Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Champion, sponsored by the Melton Mowbray Building Society, with their hand-raised Melton pork pie.

The Pork Pie Champion award this year went to Walker & Son with their Walkers Fluted 440g Pork Pie.

Old Dalby-based Nice Pie, a multiple award winner in the past, was hiighly commended for it chicken, Champagne and black truffle pie in the chicken and vegetable/herb class.

Other category winners: ‘Steak and Kidney Pie’ - Morrisons Manufacturing Farmers Boy; ‘Beef and any flavour combination’ - From Ben’s Kitchen (beef bourguignon); ‘Beef and Ale’ - Turner’s Pies (steak and ale pie); ‘Beef and Cheese’ - Thomas The Caterer (steak and Stilton pie); ‘Meat and Potato’ - Robert Bowring Butchers; ‘Lamb’ - The Russian Food Company (lamb and lingonberry bunza); ‘Chicken Pie’ - Tailormade Bakery and Kitchen (chicken Madras pie); ‘Chicken and vegetable/herb’ - Thomas The Caterer (chicken and leek pie); ‘Chicken and other meat’ - MYPIE (chicken, smoked ham and tarragon); ‘Speciality Meat and Game Pie’ - Stanbury Wild Game Pies (wild game pie); ‘Savoury Pie’ - Totally Baked (pork, apple and fennel); ‘Fish Pie’ - Jarvis Pickle (Cullen Skink Pie); ‘Vegetarian Pie’ - Mud Foods Limited (squash, spinach and feta); ‘Pasty’ - Rowe’s Cornish Bakers (Penang Chicken Pasty); ‘Dessert Pie including Bramley Apple Pie’ - Kendal Rugby Club’ (apple pie); ‘Pub Pie’ - The Bell Pie Shop (steak and Guinness pie); ‘Sports Pie’ - Kentish Mayde (chicken and bacon); ‘Free From Pie’ - Miss Millie’s Most Marvellous Pies (potato, goat’s cheese, spinach and onion); ‘Public Sector Pie’ - The Custodial Cafe (shin and skirt of Welsh beef and Onyx dark ale).