It was barely a few months after moving to Bristol that I sampled my first ever Pieminister and, like many other pie virgins, I left seduced. Not only was I impressed with the brilliant, albeit cringe-worthy pun, but also the delicious and very much affordable food. Pieminister was started back in 2003 and by friends Tristan Hogg and John Simon and over the last few years the business has gone from strength to strength. From commanding the biggest queues as festivals to opening new stores across the country, it seems this pie really has gone sky high.

From the rustic, cosy beginnings at the original PMHQ down on Stokes Croft, through to the organic, locally sourced ingredients, with all the alluring in-house designed artwork in between, everything about this business feels right. And it’s not just Bristol that agrees; their pies have won awards across the board and graced many a fine and famous plate, from Kate Moss to her majesty Queens Elizabeth II! In fact a visit to the Stokes Croft shop could find you sharing tables with Bristol faces such as Justin Lee Collins or Daddy G from Massive Attack, a testament to their popularity.

But what has made Pieminister so successful? In the words of co-founder Jon Simon; “Timing. We were the first people to really market a gourmet pie but, to be honest, it hasn’t always been easy. At first me and Tristan didn’t really know what we were getting in to; Tristan knew how to make a good pie but not mass produce them, and I was only really experienced in running a bar in London.”

Pie, mash and gravy done well are a combination that was never really going to fail. Good, honest comfort food made with fresh seasonal ingredients, all hand-crafted by a growing army of ‘Pie Experts’, have all really helped establish Pieminister in the fabric of Bristol’s food culture – you’d be hard pushed to find a better pie anywhere in fact!

Let’s not forget the pies themselves though; with a core range of 10 – 12 pies, carnivores can tuck into such delights as the Minty Lamb or, personal favourite, the Thai Chook (Thai green curry, chicken, sweet potato) while veggies have a wide choice including the sublime Heidi (Sweet potato, red onion, goats cheese, roasted garlic). There’s plenty on offer even for the most fussy of eaters.

Pieminister now have two prime locations in Bristol (Stokes Croft and St Nick’s Market), as well as recently opened stores in Stoke, Derby and Islington. Then there are all the nationwide pubs, delis and foodhalls serving Pieminister pies to eager eaters in the far flung corners of England, of which there are far too many to name; all making this an instantly recognisable brand to anyone who really likes their food; not bad for a 6 year old company, eh?

In fact the whole pie thing has become a near religion for many and it wasn’t too long after receiving many requests that they began to branch into merchandising too. Not only can you order a box of your favourite pies from the website, but those clever souls at PMHQ have now begun to sell t-shirts and hoodies too, proving that it is possible to wear your food tastefully!

But what’s next? With their pie empire growing so quickly so soon, it’s going always going to be hard to know when to stop, or more importantly, to know when a pie isn’t really receiving the love and attention it used to. This is something Jon Simon is aware of though. When asked where he’d like to see the company in 5 years time he replied; “As a good, solid international brand, still sticking to its ethics of commitment to high quality food regardless of cost.” Although they are looking into locations in Bath and London to open another outlet, it seems wholesale is where the future lies for Pieminister. With the pies now available in supermarkets such as Waitrose and fine food dispensaries across the country, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to be too long before these pies are a formidable force across the board as they corner the pie market. So, if you haven’t already, isn’t it about time you saw what all the fuss was about for yourself? If they’re good enough for the Queen…

www.pieminister.co.uk

Dave Writer
Illustrations by Tina Golubeva