A Canadian baker triumphed in the county famous for pasties to claim a top title at the sixth annual World Pasty Championships at the Eden Project in Cornwall on Saturday March 4th.
Gerry Ramier, who hails from St Catherine’s, Ontario – a stone’s throw from Niagara Falls – runs the Piskie Pie Company with his wife Marlee. Gerry was victorious in the hotly-contested Cornish Pasty Professional class in the annual “Oggy Oscars”.
Gerry and Marlee were making their debut at the World Pasty Championships, less than a year after opening their pasty shop. As well as entering the competition, they travelled to Cornwall to visit Gerry’s mother, Melanie Lampshire, who lives in Redruth and who taught Gerry how to make pasties.
Gerry won with a score of 96 out of 100, the joint highest score for the whole 2017 competition. To qualify for the Cornish Pasty Professional category, he baked his pasty in Cornwall.
Gerry, a Canadian Army veteran, said: “I’m overwhelmed and it’s a little mind-boggling to be honest. I didn’t expect that whatsoever. My mother will be pretty excited – we’re going to head straight over there and tell her.”
Gerry added: “We’ll definitely be back next year. We’ll be trying to up our game, but I don’t know where we can go from here!”
CPA Member, Cornish Premier Pasties of St Columb, swept the board in the Company categories, taking the top awards in the two classes – Open Savoury (a red Thai chicken pasty) and Cornish.
Director Fiona Rick said: “I’m absolutely stunned and delighted. I really love our Red Thai Chicken pasty. Everyone at Cornish Premier Pasties will be so pleased.”
Also victorious in the 2017 World Pasty Championships were Don McKeever, Vanessa Farr and Megan Packer, part of a group that make the annual pasty pilgrimage from Bristol to Cornwall.
Don retained his title in the Open Savoury Amateur category with his “Boeuf BourguignDon” pasty and Vanessa was victorious in the Cornish Pasty Amateur class. Megan was the champion in the Open Savoury Junior category, with a barbeque chicken pasty.
Don said: “It’s a shock to retain my title, I didn’t think I could do it again. I’m really pleased. We wouldn’t miss the World Pasty Championships for the world – we love coming here and I’m sure we’ll come here for many more years to come.”
Another major winner was David Timmins from St Columb, who took the Open Savoury Professional class, for pasties not baked the traditional Cornish way. David’s score of 96 out of 100 was the joint highest in the competition with Gerry Ramier.
Winner of the new Gluten-Free Amateur category was Samantha Burgess from Middlewich in Cheshire. Brothers Robert Mowbray, 13, and Jack Fuller, 10, came first and third respectively in the Cornish Pasty Junior category.
The Pasty Ambassador award 2017 was given to Ruth Huxley of Cornwall Food and Drink.
Ruth is a leading light in the Cornish Pasty Association and has been involved in the World Pasty Championships since its inception, advising competition organisers and being part of the judging panel.
The full results of the 2017 World Pasty Championships were:
Open Savoury Professional
1 – David Timmins from St Columb with a Cornish steak and kidney pasty.
2 – Nik Brown from Liskeard with a steak, stout and mature cheddar pasty.
3 – Craig Blackborough from Callington with a bacon, brie and chutney pasty.
Open Savoury Amateur
1 – Don McKeever from Bristol with the “Boeuf BourguignDon”
2- Jon Lovejoy from Plymouth with a beef, pork, mozzarella and parmesan pasty.
3 – Terry O’Connor from Watford with a chicken, gammon and carrot pasty.
Open Savoury Junior
1 – Megan Packer, 13, from Bristol with a barbeque chicken pasty.
2 – Megan Penrose, 13, from Exeter with a beef mince, onion and mozzarella pasty.
3 – Naomi Hawkins, 6, from Wadebridge with a gammon, leek and cheddar pasty.
Gluten-Free Amateur
1 – Samantha Burgess from Middlewich Cheshire.
2 – Roger Richards from Camborne.
Open Savoury Company
1 – Cornish Premier Pasties with a Red Thai Chicken pasty,
2 – Friary Mill Bakery with a Curried Chicken Pasty.
3 – West Cornwall Pasty Co. with a Green Thai Vegetable Pasty.
Cornish Pasty Junior
1 – Robert Mowbray, 13, from Wadebridge.
2 – Kelly Turnbull, 14, from Torpoint.
3 – Jack Fuller, 10, from Wadebridge.
Cornish Pasty Company
1 – Cornish Premier Pasties
2 – Prima Bakeries
3 – The Cornish Bakery
Cornish Pasty Amateur
1 – Vanessa Farr from Bristol
2 – Emma Pugsley from London
3 – Barry Metters from Saltash
Cornish Pasty Professional
1 – Gerry Ramier from St. Catherine’s, Ontario, Canada
2 – Ryan Smedley
3 – Ross Buist from Scorrier.
