What is it about a sweet or savoury filling entombed in pastry that is capable of making just about any hungry-ish person drool with absolute longing? 

It's an equation - like “pi times radius squared” - and it is one that has been forming a crust around the thoughts of humankind for a very long time. The Life of Pie goes back more than 5000 years - historians have discovered that ancient Egyptians were wrapping edible fillings in pastry even before they were entombing pharaohs in pyramids. 

Fast forward to March 2021 and Monday heralds the beginning of the annual British Pie Week, which could mean millions of people will be pondering the magical edible equation: what is it about pie? 

For pies really can reach the parts that other morsels fail to impress. They are capable of warming even the most frozen inner man or woman - which is one reason you often find them being sold by the thousand at large sports events. 

Pies have the ability to soothe and to make content just about anyone able to swallow anything more than a crumb (which is why the average Brit scoffs a whopping 2,160 pies over their adult lifetime, according to a recent study). There is indeed something about pie which no other simple morsel can boast. It's not only that an individual pie is capable of containing the equivalent of an entire meal (gravy included) which you can hold with ease in the palm of your hand. The real magic surely comes from the word “entombed”.

Because the filling (savoury or sweet) is more or less sealed by pastry its flavour intensifies during the cooking. It steams in its own juices. When that happens - as it inevitably will in the hands of an experienced pie-master - an alchemy can occur. There's a certain unique silkiness of content - a highly flavoured luxuriance which the contents would not be able to muster minus the duvet, or blanket, of rich crumbly pastry.

Chunk of Devon's Simon Bryon-Edmond understands the arcane secrets behind crusted and crimped perfection. In 16 years of operations, the Devon pie and pasty company has won just about every pie-related competition in the land. At present two of their pies are gold winning Champions from the 2020 British Pie Awards. Their pies and pasties have won almost too many Taste of the West Gold Medals to count.

In short, some would say that Chunk of Devon has become the benchmark pie-maker to the nation. In normal times you will find their creations on sale at iconic places such as Wembley Stadium, Wimbledon and the home of cricket at Lords, as well as at the rugby grounds of Exeter Chiefs, Saracens and the like.

Even now, during the lockdowns, Chunk pies have been in huge demand, selling through the small independent food shops.

Simon is so passionate about pies he often jokes, “Whoever originally invented the masterpiece which is the pie should have been adorned with a George Cross, perhaps or maybe a Nobel Pie-ce prize!”

But what is it about a pie that makes this quintessential morsel so beloved?

“I get a bit fed up because pies so often get a bad press - people laugh and talk about pies making you fat. Funny how cupcakes never attract the same attention, even if they are packed with sugar, which really can make you fat. 

“There is something extra special about a good pie - succulent chunks of meat bathed in rich naturally made gravies with rich ales and wines and wrapped in a sensational buttery pastry. What's not to like? It's also to do with the comfort-food thing. Pie and mash and peas - even the thought of it makes you feel good. 

“I think people associate good times with pies. We sell huge numbers at sports events and other big occasions when people are out and about enjoying themselves. And you can eat a pie anywhere, can't you? My first date with my wife Suzi featured pie and chips - that's what we ate in her old fashioned Mini on Kingsbridge quay. I'll never forget it.”

Not long after that, Chunk of Devon was borne out of the back of a small butcher's shop in a Devon village. But it was in 2006 that Simon and Suzi Bryon-Edmond really got into full pie-making gear. “We had an existing catering business but we were having difficulty in finding good pies – and we had a belief that food should be special, tasty and natural.  

“With our catering background and the fact that we'd won a stash of awards, we were after a new challenge - and both of us loved pies,” says Simon.

“In 2008, we entered our first regional awards and were delighted to do really well. Of course, we had ups and downs in the first couple of years, but our passion - bordering on obsession - was to make, special, tasty, natural products, and that has never wavered! 

“It is true to say that we are now one of the country's most awarded pie and pasty makers. In 2019 we hit national head-lines by winning the 'Britain's Best Cornish Pasty' award - and that was for the second time! Our Cornish counterparts weren't too happy. The pasty has also been awarded 10 consecutive Great Taste Awards.

“Awards are important,” says Simon. “Altogether we have won more 175 awards across our range of pies and pasties, and that puts us on the map. Let's face it, there are pies in this world which perhaps don't have the magic equation you're talking about in your article.  

“People ask how we manage to be such serial winners.  The answer is that we believe in sourcing top quality ingredients as locally as possible - butter versus margarine, for example. We back cows over chemists, especially here especially in the South West!When you've got fantastic natural produce why spoil the flavours with additives and other junk? So we don't.” 

Chunk of Devon now makes a range of 12 pies (including four vegan) and eight pasties - and they are all seriously good, as anyone who has sampled the steak, stilton and mushroom pie will tell you. It won Gold at the British pie awards last year.

According to the organisers of British Pie Week, more than three quarters of this country's population consumes at least one filling encased in pastry per month - so, whether we make a pie ourselves or buy one in from a local shop or online, we really ought to make sure it's a good one.

-ENDS-

Notes to Editor

Images are available to download from this folder.

• Multi award winning pie and pasty makers Chunk of Devon grew out of the back of a small butcher's shop in a little Devon village.
• In July 2006 Simon & Suzi Bryon-Edmond took the helm with a belief that food should be special, tasty and natural. From a catering background and winners of a stash of awards, they were 'after a new challenge' and both of them 'loved pies' (one of their first dates was pie and chips on a Devon quay!)
• In 2008, Chunk of Devon entered their first regional awards and were delighted to do really well. Their passion, bordering on obsession, to make special, tasty, natural products has never wavered! They are now one of the country's most awarded pie and pasty makers with over 175 awards across their range of both pies and pasties including winning 'Champion' twice at the British Pie Awards and numerous Great Taste Awards.
• In 2019 Chunk of Devon hit the national stage by winning the title 'Britain's Best Cornish Pasty', for the second time. Their Cornish counterparts weren't happy that this coveted title went to a Devon pasty maker! This humble pasty has also been awarded 10 consecutive Great Taste Awards.
• Chunk of Devon believes in creating awesome pies, pasties and sausage rolls lovingly made from locally-sourced ingredients with no additives.
• The Chunk Pie Factory is in Ottery St. Mary, where their team, or hunks as they call them, of 40 dedicated folk make and bake with passion.
• For further information on Chunk of Devon please visit chunkofdevon.co.uk or call 01404 814401.  Follow Chunk of Devon on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

For further information, photography or an interview with Simon Bryon-Edmond , owner of Chunk of Devon www.chunkofdevon.co.uk, please contact:

Harry Wild at RAW Food and Drink PR

Email: Harry@rawfoodanddrinkpr.co.uk 

Telephone: 07540399025