This year sees the introduction of three all-new elements:

• The Vegan Pie Class - a welcome and timely announcement since the UK officially produced the highest number of vegan food products in 2018*
• Special annual themed Fish & Chip Shop Pie Class
• Best Young Piemaker Award

Each year, the British Pie Awards presents a Small Producer Award, recognising grass-roots piemakers creating outstanding pies across the UK. 2019 will see the introduction of the inaugural Best Young Piemaker Award, a category that celebrates the talent of promising young bakers.

The Awards, hosted during British Pie Week (4th-10th March 2019), celebrates the nation’s love of pies – a British culinary institution. Hot or cold, sweet or savoury, Brits eat around £1billion-worth of them every year.

The 2018 instalment saw an astounding 962 pies entered from a record-breaking 185 talented bakers, butchers and chefs.

There are only a few simple rules that must be adhered to: all pies are to be totally encased in pastry, so they must have a closed top, and must be baked. They must also fit into one of the 23 pre-assigned classes. All entries must be commercially available in the UK.

Matthew O’Callaghan, Chairman of the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association and host of the British Pie Awards said: "Over the past 11 years we’ve judged over 8,000 pies, with the help of around 150 pie connoisseurs and culinary experts. Each pie is judged on presentation, consistency and, of course, flavour – it’s a very serious, albeit delicious, undertaking!

"Every year we’re blown away by the creativity and quality that goes into reinventing, or perfecting, a national favourite. With the new Vegan Pie Class and Fish & Chip Shop Class, we expect this year will be equally exciting, if not more so.”

The annual special themed class – celebrating a much-loved takeaway

The British Pie Awards includes a special themed class, which changes each year. This year’s special class celebrates Fish & Chip Shop pies, bringing two Great British classics together.

Judged to the same standards, and under the same rules as other classes, the pie makers in this category have more freedom to choose fillings, pastry type and presentation.

How to get involved

Entry to the Awards is now open and will run until 5pm on Friday 15th February 2019. It’s open to anyone who sells pies commercially in the UK, with a special rate for companies with fewer than five pie makers. Pie makers are able to enter the awards by filling out an online entry form on the website, where there is also a full list of this year’s classes: www.britishpieawards.co.uk