Pie makers from across the UK were in Dunfermline to take part in the World Scotch Pie Championships.
Maurice Irvine, of Irvine’s of Beith, emerged the victor at Carnegie Conference Centre.
The event, rescheduled due to bad weather in November, saw over 80 piemen bringing more than 400 products.
There was success for a number of Tayside and Fife firms, with Dundee firm Scott Brothers collecting three gold awards for Scotch pies, bridies and sausage rolls, and a gold runners-up for the overall Scotch pie award.
G. & B. Grossett of Dundee won a silver for its bridie; Stuart’s of Buckhaven won diamond for its steak pie, bronze for its Scotch pie and silver for their sausage roll; H. W. Irvine of Blairgowrie won silver for the Scotch pie, silver for its confit mutton and redcurrant pie; and D. H. Robertson, Arbroath, won bronze for its bridie.
T. Johnston of Dunfermline won silver for its Scotch pie, sausage roll and Scotch steak pie; and Kassy’s Kitchen in Cowdenbeath won gold for its roast lamb and mint sauce pie, bronze for its turkey stuffing and cranberry pie and bronze for its steak and gravy pie.
Apart from the main prize of top pie maker, the three other categories were sausage rolls, bridies and savoury products.
Mr Irvine (50) said it gave him “great satisfaction” to win the coveted prize, now in its 12th year, and knows it will increase publicity for his firm and its 45-strong workforce in Ayrshire.
“I’m delighted to win,” he said.
“We’ve come close before, winning gold, silver and bronze, but not actually achieved this. To not win before just made us try all the harder.
“Our bakers firm was established in 1920 and we have been making pies since then. We are constantly improving our pie and use a secret recipe.”Secret recipeMr Irvine employs his wife Susan in the firm’s office and he is sure they will cope with the expected increase in turnover following the win.
“We produce around 60 dozen pies per day so I’m confident we will cope with increase demand,” he added.
“January is usually not a good month for bakersnot for anyone for that matterso the increased publicity will help.
“As a tradesman, it gives me great satisfaction to win this award.”
It was Susan who urged him to send in his entry and Mr Irvine added, “I’m told that I’ll put 30% on my turnover from winning this title and I’ll be working hard to make sure that we do.
“I’m not telling you the recipe for the piesthat’s a secret.
Jim Paterson of Kassy’s Kitchen said, “The weather has not helped business lately. We’re a bit disappointed we didn’t win the overall prize but at least we got something.”
Organiser Alan Stuart, of Stuart’s of Buckhaven, said, “The winner can expect a money-spinning year.
“Records show that the successful company can increase their annual turnover by more than 30%.
“The Scotch pie is at the heart of the competition but there are a lot of different categories such as sausage rolls, steak pies and bridies.
“However, the plum prize is the Scotch pie and the winner is always desperate to walk away with the title.
“We usually have great rivalry between the bakers and the butchers.”
He praised the number of entrants in the championships.
“We had 80 entries this year50 butchers and 30 bakersand that was encouraging. We had 85 last year, which was a record.
“This shows the power of this competition which was started to raise standards in the industry.”
The other local winners were Nicoll’s Rosebank Bakery of Dundee which won gold first runner-up for its sausage roll, and Wm Stephen Bakers, Dunfermline, won silver for its bridie and bronze for its sausage roll.
Goodfellow & Steven, Broughty Ferry, won gold for its mediterranean melt; Tower Bakery in Perth won gold for its vegetarian pie; Fisher & Donaldson of Cupar won silver for its Scotch pie, silver for its bridie, and bronze for its spinach roll; and J M Bakery, Carnoustie, won gold for its Arbroath smokie quiche and bronze for its sausage rolls.
Past winners of the Scotch pie have included two-time winner Paul Boyle of Boghall Butchers, Bathgate; Thomas Auld and Sons of Greenock; Maclean’s Highland Bakery, Forres; Sugar and Spice, Auchterarder; Stuart’s of Buckhaven; and W. F. Stark of Buckhaven.