A steak and ale pie created by an executive chef working between three North Lakeland hotels has scooped a prestigious gold accolade in the British Pie Awards.
Ele Knight, 31, who works and prepares the menus for the Mawdsley Bleachers Group that runs the Ravenstone Manor and Ravenstone Lodge at Bassenthwaite and The Ruddings Hotel at Braithwaite, said she was delighted that the Corby Blonde Pie had achieved such success.
She said that the suet pastry as well as the locally sourced ale from Great Corby was the key to the pie’s success.
“It has lots of flavours and it also looks the part as well as we hand crimp them,” said Ele, who has 15 years of culinary experience. It was a guest staying with us that encouraged me to enter the pie for the competition. She asked to speak to me after trying the pie and said that she was amazed by the quality of it.
“She said that it should be entered into the awards. I did a bit of research and signed up.”
Ele, who hails from Preston and came to the Lakes in 2022, said: “We are extremely proud to receive this award. The Lake District is renowned for exceptional produce and we work with some fantastic local suppliers and farmers. As a chef it’s more than a personal achievement, it’s about being given the opportunity to showcase the incredible ingredients our region has to offer.”
Ele has worked her way through the kitchen from commis chef, chef de partie, head chef and now executive head chef. Her career has taken her overseas, where she spent several seasons in Sardinia, the French Alps, and Corsica.
She then ventured to Australia, where she worked as a private dining chef, regularly cooking for A-list celebrities on super yachts and at exclusive events. Upon returning to the UK, she held several head chef positions in some of Lancashire’s most well known eateries, even helping to contribute to the success of rosette-level restaurants.
Recently, she had the privilege of being part of the team that successfully opened The Ruddings. Now, she oversees the kitchens and menus there, as well as those of the well-established Ravenstone Manor and Ravenstone Lodge, which is currently undergoing a refurbishment which will be unveiled next month.
“I am a creative chef, dedicated to providing exemplary dishes for our guests to experience, my passion for seasonal menu development and innovation is my driving force,” she said.
The British Pie Awards, founded in 2009 and organised by the Melton Mowbray Pie Association, is a celebration of British pies held annually during British Pie Week, which ran from March 3 to March 9. The awards feature an expert panel of judges who evaluate around 900 pies across a number of categories and award prizes to the best entries.
Matthew O’Callaghan, Chairman of the Melton Pork Pie Association and host of the British Pie Awards, said: “The pie is Britain’s most important contribution to world food heritage.
“The British eat over £1 billion of pies every year; hot-cold, sweet-savoury and now gluten free, vegan, fusion etc. These awards celebrate the skills and ingenuity of all those involved in pie-making, from traditional recipes to more exotic creations. It’s been wonderful to be immersed in the collected passion for pies – traditional British fare, often showcased with a modern twist.”
