Jon Lovejoy from Plymouth, Devon won the prestigious Cornish Pasty Amateur category for the first time while his daughters Summer, 13, and Daisy, 10, capped a winning day for the family with a one-two finish in the Open Savoury Junior category and a second and third place finish in the Cornish Pasty Junior category.
Summer was adding to her two previous victories in the Cornish Pasty Junior Category, while Daisy’s podium finishes bolstered an impressive track record that includes a previous win in the Cornish Pasty Junior category and third place in the Open Savoury Junior category.
Jon said: "It feels amazing to win, I think we've been competing for nine years. I finally won! We'll keep coming back, the pressure's off now."
Summer said: "Three times now, I can't even believe it!"
Daisy said: "I enjoyed my day today and I was hoping daddy was going to win."
Carter Deakin, seven, from St Day, Cornwall won the Cornish Pasty Junior crown, taking the baton from his dad Billy, who won the Cornish Pasty Amateur title three times in the past, including twice before Carter was born. Billy competed again this year, coming second in the Open Savoury Amateur category.
Proud dad Billy said: “It was amazing when Carter won. That’s the main reason we came today, so that he could take part. He was super nervous all day and it was a wonderful moment when the award was announced. He’s so proud and happy now – and he can’t wait to tell his nanny!”
Reigning Open Savoury Junior champion Jodie Heath from Bodmin, Cornwall claimed victory in her first year of competing in the senior categories as she won Open Savoury Amateur with a sweet and sour chicken pasty. This was the first time any competitor has won a senior category after previously being a junior champion. Her dad Andy, also from Bodmin, claimed an impressive double victory in the Cornish Pasty Professional and Open Savoury Professional categories.
Jodie said: “After I won last time in the junior category, I didn’t think I was going to have a chance in the adult amateur category. I was very surprised.”
Andy said: “It’s been fantastic, especially after a break; and the fact that I’ve been chasing the Open Savoury Professional award for nine years, to win that on the same day as the Cornish Pasty Professional, it’s absolutely brilliant.”
Cornish Premier Pasties scored a one-two finish in the Cornish Pasty Company category while the Phat Pasty Co. was victorious in the Open Savoury Company Category with a peppered steakless vegan pasty.
Her Excellency Josefa González-Blanco, Mexico’s Ambassador to the UK, was a special guest at the awards and hailed the strong culinary links between Mexico and Cornwall. The Ambassador presented the special Pasty Ambassador award to Mike Burgess of The Pure Pasty Company in Vienna, Virginia, USA. Mike was returning for a fifth year running and his company won trophies in 2018 and 2019.
Winner of the World’s Fastest Crimper competition run by the Cornish Pasty Association was Chloe Rowse of Proper Cornish.
The winners collected their Oggy Awards at a glittering ceremony attended by special guests on the Mediterranean Biome stage.
Eden works with the Association to deliver this annual celebration of Cornwall’s culinary gift to the globe.
The first championships took place at Eden in 2012 and the last was in 2020. The 2021 event was cancelled due to Covid restrictions.
There were more than 100 entries this year with companies, professionals, amateurs and juniors competing for eight awards. Half the awards are for traditional Cornish pasties and the other half are in “open savoury” classes – pasties not cooked to the classic Cornish recipe.
Travelling from the USA and taking part for the first time, was Union Jacks Pasty Shack from Clovis, California. Co-founder Ben Cunliffe grew up in the UK.
Craig Lopez of Union Jacks Pasty Shack said: “It's absolutely amazing to come out here and compete in the 2022 World Pasty Championships, it's awesome, amazing and exciting - just great!”
The Championships hosted a fabulous bill of entertainment, talks and demonstrations. Among the stars were Voice UK winner Molly Hocking from St Ives, comedy superheroes Pasty Man and Pastry Maid, and bands including The Countrymen and Flats and Sharps.
The Pasty Stage was the venue for the World’s Fastest Crimper competition run by the Pasty Association. The stage also hosted a crimping demo and a talk on the history of the pasty.
The full list of winners for 2022 was:
Open Savoury Junior
1st – Summer Lovejoy, 13, from Plymouth – lasagne pasty
2nd – Daisy Lovejoy, 10, from Plymouth – spaghetti and meatballs pasty
3rd – Jessica Clemo, 9, from St Austell – chicken and chorizo pasty
Cornish Pasty Junior
1st – Carter Deakin, 7, from St Day
2nd – Summer Lovejoy, 13, from Plymouth
3rd – Daisy Lovejoy, 10, Plymouth
Open Savoury Company
1st – Phat Pasty Co. – peppered steakless vegan pasty
2nd – Proper Cornish Ltd – cheese, tomato and basil pasty
3rd – The Pure Pasty Co. – jerk chicken pasty
Cornish Pasty Company
1st – Cornish Premier Pasties Ltd – standard Cornish pasty
2nd – Cornish Premier Pasties Ltd – gourmet Cornish pasty
3rd – Phat Pasty Co
Open Savoury Professional
1st – Andy Heath from Bodmin – sweet and sour chicken pasty
2nd – Mikaela Parry from Calstock – chicken, bacon and leek pasty
3rd – Heidi Clemo from St Austell – chicken curry pasty
Cornish Pasty Professional
1st – Andy Heath from Bodmin
2nd – Damian Grochowalski from St Columb Major
3rd – Phil Price from Looe
Open Savoury Amateur
1st – Jodie Heath from Bodmin – sweet and sour chicken pasty
2nd – Billy Deakin from St Day – hog’s pudding and blue cheese pasty
3rd – Nigel Spooner from Cowes on the Isle of Wight – chicken, squash and anchovy pasty
Cornish Pasty Amateur
1st – Jon Lovejoy from Plymouth
2nd – Simon Richards from Tonbridge in Kent
3rd – Gillian Francis from Liskeard
