Castleford butchers and bakery shop picks up two prizes at The British Pie Awards

The pie-oneering awards, now in its 15th year, celebrates the nation’s most delicious pies – from the traditionally British to the tantalisingly innovative and totally whacky.

The Butcher and The Baker, located in Allerton Bywater, won the hearts, and palates, of judges with its keema pasty to take home the best pasty prize; beating off 45 mouth-watering entries in this category to take home the award.

The pie-maker took home a second prize at this year’s awards, this time in the lamb pie category, with its tasty minty lamb hotpot pie. This entry triumphed over 38 others to take the top spot.

Paul Alderman, who runs the shop with his business partner, Heather Gilbert, said: “I’ve been working in the industry since I was a small boy but it has only been in the last few years that I’ve gotten into the pie making.

"We first entered these awards in 2017 when we won gold with our steak and ale pie in a mustard pastry. Ever since then, we’ve been incredibly fortunate to win something every year at these awards.

"A lot of hard work, blood, sweat and tears goes into developing the pies. There are a lot of mistakes made before we happy enough with the recipe of the pie for it to go on sale.

"The keema pasty is an idea that is only just over a two weeks old, and is a variation of a Yorkshire pasty, and instead of using the ordinary beef, lamb or pork, we used an Indian mix of keema with lamb and cheese.

"It is going to sound really cheeky, but the keema pasty came about from a dream. I dreamt one night that I went to a fish and chip shop and ordered a keema pasty, curry sauce, and chips. It has been at the back of my mind for some time, so I thought now would be the perfect opportunity to create it.”

The shop has only been around since June 2018 but since then, it has gone on to win countless awards, including a Good Food Award last year.

Matthew O’Callaghan, chairman of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association and host of the British Pie Awards, said: “We are always highly encouraged to see the nation’s love of pies at these annual awards, and this year there has been a huge level of excitement and creativity.

“We had the pleasure of enjoying some spectacular pies, and The Butcher and The Baker has overcome exceptionally stiff competition in each category.

"These awards celebrate the skill of British pie makers across the nation, so I’d like to say a particular congratulations to them for this success.”

The contest comprises 23 different classes or types of pie including traditional favourites and newcomers such as vegan and gluten free pies.

Pete’s Pies in Flockton, Wakefield, also took home silver in the vegetarian category at the awards, as well as Cryer & Stott Cheesemongers in Pontefract taking home a bronze award in the beef and ale category and B & M Collins & Sons Butchers in Cleckheaton taking silver in the cold-eating savoury pie category.