Star chef ’s anger as vegan pie wins top prize at awards

A VEGAN pie has sparked outrage after winning a top food award, with a leading chef branding the butternut squash creation “a disgrace”.

Jon Thorner’s curried sweet potato and butternut squash entry was named Supreme Champion at the British Pie Awards, beating 886 other competitors at the contest in Melton Mowbray, Leics – home of the classic pork pie.

It is the first time in the event’s 11-year history that a vegan pie has taken the top prize and Mr Thorner, a butcher based in Shepton Mallet, Somerset, said the accolade was “completely unexpected”.

But chef Richard Corrigan, whose past restaurants have earned two Michelin stars, lambasted the competition, calling it “pie in the sky”.

The 55-year-old Irishman, who has cooked for the Queen twice, said: “Please, please, I’m going to cry. Pies are supposed to be filled with the most delicious morsels of steak and liver and kidney, with the jelly and little pieces

‘The oldest culinary art form left in the world and the vegans have taken it away. It’s a disgrace’

of fat in the middle delicately dripping onto your tongue. A vegan pie? Give me a break. The oldest culinary art form left in the world and the vegans have taken it away. It’s a disgrace.

“The millennials have taken over. It’s not a pie competition. It’s a pie in the sky competition. We should all just retire now.”

Mr Corrigan is the chef patron of Corrigan Collection, which operates Bentley’s Oyster Bar & Grill and Corrigan’s Mayfair in London and has won three AA restaurant of the year awards.

Matthew O’callaghan, chairman of the pie awards, said: “This year’s Supreme Champion was well deserving of the accolade. From its very appearance on the judging tray you knew it was going to do well and it didn’t disappoint when it was opened and tasted.

“This pie isn’t just for vegans, it’s a pie for everybody. With this award we can truly say that veganism is now entering the mainstream of British food.”

Colin Woodhead, head judge added: “There are a number of challenges to making a good vegan pie and this has cracked it.”