A turkey and cranberry pasty produced by a US business has taken the top spot in one of the categories in this year’s World Pasty Championships.

The Pure Pasty Co, based in Virginia, won the Open Savoury Company category in the annual championships in Cornwall – a title it took last year with a barbeque chicken pasty containing pineapple.

“The turkey and cranberry pasty is basically an American fusion pasty that contains all the flavours of the traditional Thanksgiving dinner,” said The Pure Pasty Co’s Mike Burgess, adding the pasty had proved so popular in his shop that it has become a year-round product.

Nearly 200 pasties made by amateurs, professionals, juniors and companies competed in the contest held at Eden project near St Austell in Cornwall. (See below for full list of winners.)

Jill Martin, a baker from Deal in Kent, took the first and third places in the Open Savoury Professional category, with her top-placed pasty containing egg, sausage and bacon.

“Cornwall has a famous pasty and I thought ‘why hasn’t Kent got one’ so I decided to create one,” said Martin.

Billy Deakin from Redruth took his third win in the Cornish Pasty Amateur category, while his four-year-old son Carter, who wasn’t even born when Billy was last crowned champion, competed in the Cornish Pasty Junior category.

“Carter loved it, but he needs a bit of crimping practice,” said Deakin.

One contestant who has clearly had plenty of practice is Ingrida Sauguniene of Rowe’s, who won the new title of World’s Fastest Crimper.

The Pasty Ambassador award, given to a person who has furthered the cause of the Cornish pasty, was given to Jason Jobling, chair of the Cornish Pasty Association.

Above: Billy Deakin (centre) with his son Carter receives his Cornish Pasty Amateur trophy from Councillor Tom French, representing Cornish Mining World Heritage Site.

World Pasty Championships 2019 winners

Cornish Pasty Company

  • First – Rowe’s Cornish Bakers
  • Second – Cornish Bakehouse
  • Third – Prima Bakeries

Open Savoury Company

  • First – Pure Pasty Co, with a turkey and cranberry pasty
  • Second – West Cornwall Pasty Co, with a chicken Thai red curry pasty
  • Third – Friary Mill, with a vegan curry pasty

Cornish Pasty Professional

  • First – Jack Edensor, Bodmin
  • Second – Damian Grochowalski, Bodmin
  • Third – Paula Heath, Bodmin

Open Savoury Professional

  • First – Jill Martin from Deal, Kent, with an egg, bacon and sausage pasty
  • Second – Paula Heath from Bodmin, with a smoked ham ploughman’s pasty
  • Third – Jill Martin from Deal, Kent, with a cheese, apple and onion pasty

Cornish Pasty Amateur

  • First – Billy Deakin, Redruth
  • Second – Vanessa Farr, Bristol
  • Third – Rhys Heath, Bodmin

Open Savoury Amateur

  • First – Don McKeever from Bristol, with a butter chicken, butternut squash and mushroom pasty
  • Second – Jon Lovejoy from Plymouth, with a spaghetti bolognese pasty.
  • Third – Katy Biddle from Portskewett, Monmouthshire, Wales, with a Welsh lamb curry pasty

Cornish Pasty Junior

  • First – Summer Lovejoy, 10, from Plymouth
  • Second – Millie Piotrowicz, 9, from Portreath
  • Third – Jodie Health, 13, from Bodmin

Open Savoury Junior

  • First – Amy Meredith, 9, from Porthleven, with a chilli beef pasty
  • Second – Jodie Heath, 13, from Bodmin, with a sweet and sour chicken pasty
  • Third – Imogen Hawkins, 10, from Truro, with a chicken, onion, carrot and pea pasty