Sixteen pub chefs make it to steak pie semi-final

06-Jun-2007 - Last updated on 27-Aug-2011 at 01:38 GMT

Sixteen pub chefs have made it through to the semi finals of EBLEX's steak pie competition. The first round judging in the National Steak Pie...

Sixteen pub chefs have made it through to the semi finals of EBLEX's steak pie competition.

The first round judging in the National Steak Pie Competition 2007 is now complete and eighteen chefs - 16 of which are from pubs - have been selected to go through to the next stage of the competition, the Mystery Dining round.

The semi-finalists were selected following a paper judging by competition organisers, the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX). EBLEX foodservice project manager Hugh Judd said: "Ultimately it's the quality of the ingredients which makes a steak pie truly great, and the judges are looking for chefs who are passionate about sourcing quality ingredients and dedicated to serving delicious food. Some of the top pie-makers in the country have entered the competition this year, so it's going to be a tough but exciting competition final!"

To reach the next and final stage of the competition, pubs must make it through the Mystery Dining round, when judges will turn up at their premises unannounced to sample and score the pie on site. Six finalists will then be selected to go through to the championship cook-off final at Westminster Kingsway College on 16 July 2007, when they will go head-to-head with the best in the country in the battle to win the prestigious National Steak Pie Champion title.

The sixteen pub semi-finalists:

Chris Matthews

Ship Inn, Kirby-Le-Soken, Essex

Steak, Kidney and Murphy's Ale Pie

Dennis Peel

The Mill Inn, Aldeburgh, Suffolk

Steak & Ale Pie

Neville Brown

Talbot Arms, Benville Near Evershot, Dorset

Steak & Ale Pie

David 'Billy' Brown

The Hare Arms, Kings Lynn, Norfolk