Bristol-based Pieminister took the Supreme Champion award at this year’s British Pie Awards with their Mooless Pie, a vegan, gluten-free offering.
Beating a record 976 pies of all types to win the most prestigious prize in the pie world, the Mooless was hailed as a “Pie for everyone” by Awards chair Dr Matthew O’Callaghan. He said: “Up to now gluten-free pies were always compared unfavourably with other pies. With this pie, gluten-free pies are now equal to any other pie. Being vegetarian and gluten-free, Pieminister’s ‘Mooless Pie’ is an ‘Everybody’s Pie’ be they vegetarian or meat-eater, gluten tolerant or intolerant. Serve this at a meal and almost everyone’s a winner! Congratulations Pieminister! This was a superb pie, it looked good, had a nice even golden bake. The pastry was crunchy complemented by the moist filling which had ‘bite’ and the balance of flavours in the pie was just right.”
The pie consists of jackfruit ‘steak’, craft ale, carrot, onion and seasoning (black pepper, rosemary, thyme) plus tomato puree for the filling in a gluten-free pastry.
Pieminister was founded in Bristol in 2003 by Tristan Hogg, Jon Simon, and Romany Simon. They started at farmer’s markets and the Glastonbury Festival and now employ over 300 people in the city.
Another South West piemaker celebrated at the Awards was Dickies’s Pies of Radstock, Somerset who picked up the Newcomer Award.
A record 151 judges were present at St Mary’s Church in Melton Mowbray for the awards and chomped their way through some 23 classes including Pork Pies, Steak & Ale, Game, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Dessert, Vegetarian, and more.
The Supreme Champion piemaker is invited to the British Fair in Japan with flight and hotel expenses paid courtesy of Hankyu Department Store of Japan.
For a full list of winning pies including Class Champions, Highly Commended, Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards go to www.britishpieawards.co.uk.
