Yorkshire chef Dan Leaver wins twice at British Pie Awards

Dan’s Pie Company received a highly coveted silver award at the British Pie Awards for its chicken and leek pie and scored the bronze award for its steak and ale pie.

Company owner Dan Leaver, 33, has been making his pies for more than 10 years.

But it’s only in the past year that he’s been able to take his business full time and his team couldn’t be more thrilled with the success they’ve had.

Speaking about his awards, Dan said: “It is quite nice to have the badges next to the names on his signs. Really shows that I’m doing something right.”

Dan's two award winning pies in front of their respective certificates (Image: Dan Leaver)

For Dan, this was the first time he’d ever entered a competition like this, with his team travelling down from Pocklington to Melton Mowbury for the ceremony.

Prior to the first lockdown, he used to serve his pies at his pub – the Wolds Inn at Huggate – and found that they were incredibly popular amongst customers.

Once the pandemic hit, Dan started making them at home so that punters were able to get a taste of normality, even when the rest of the world was closed.

This was a venture that continued, even after the pub changed hands, with Dan and his small team travelling around local markets and events to share his culinary delights with a wider audience.

A Dan's Pie Company stall at a market in Harrogate (Image: Dan Leaver)

All pies are made in Yorkshire and with local produce, a fact Dan is very much proud of. His vegetables are supplied by Browns of Pocklington, his meat comes from M&K Butchers on Bishopthorpe Road in York (a supplier his family have used for more than 25 years), and all additional products are from Hull’s Turner Price.

On top of this, Dan sources his ale from Wetherby Brew Co – a venue where he held frequent pop-ups and where he became inspired to add a steak and ale pie to the menu in the first place.

One of Dan's pies with mushy peas and mash, served up and ready to eat. (Image: Dan Leaver)

In addition to the double ribbons received at the British Pie Award, Dan very nearly netted himself a third prize winner – his classic and most popular pie, the steak, was just a few points off netting him yet another award.

For anyone dying to get their hands on Dan’s pies, they’re available to order through his website for collection or delivery, at Pocklington Market every Tuesday, or at various local markets (updated as they happen through his Facebook page).