A TAVISTOCK chef has reached the semi-final in the English Beef and Lamb Executive?s (EBLEX) National Steak Pie Competition 2006. Margaret Pridham, from Harvest Home in Tavistock, will battle it out against five other pub chefs and 17 other regional finalists to compete for the title of national champion. She only uses ingredients from the Tavistock area, which is why Magaret believes her pie is the best in the country: ?You can?t beat fresh produce from the West Country.? Hugh Judd, the competition organiser at EBLEX, said he is delighted with the number of entries in the competition. ?A great steak pie is a combination of many things, including a succulent filling, tasty pastry and careful presentation. But it?s the quality of the ingredients which really makes a steak pie truly great.? The next stage of the competition involves a visit from a ?mystery diner? who will visit the pub unannounced to judge the steak pie against a set of criteria. Then six finalists will be invited to attend a cook-off competition in London on July 17 where the chefs will prepare and serve their dishes to a panel of judges.
