Henley pie producer wins silver for first entry to national awards

AN independent business in Henley has won silver at a national pie competition.

Rebecca and Craig Mee, from Caversham, have owned Henley-based Pielicious, since 2017.

The couple entered the 2026 British Pie Awards, being highly commended for their steak and stilton pie and winning a silver award.

About 2,000 pies were judged in total by 190 experts.

The Mees bake their pies at the Over-60s Social Club kitchen, in Greys Road car park, five days a week, with assistant, Benji Darani, 19, who has been helping the couple for about six months.

Mrs Mee is a part-time manager and Mr Mee is the chef at the club.

The couple sent off five of their pies for judging, which took place on Wednesday last week. That evening they were invited to the awards dinner on Friday held in Melton Mowbray, the “home of the pork pie”.

Guests were served a kebab pie, which was ruled the “Champion of Champions” in 2025, produced by Boghall Butchers in Scotland.

Mr Mee said: “We didn’t know until we got to the awards dinner that we had been highly commended for our steak and stilton pie, which was very exciting. We’re so proud of that and so happy that our hard work has paid off. It was the first time we had entered the awards, so to be recognised for our first submission is amazing.

“It was nice to attend the awards dinner and pick up the odd tip. It was good to be judged by peers as well on what to improve and what to look for the next time we compete.

“Benji and I are a great two-man team in the kitchen. We’ll have to look next year and see if we can get him to enter for the Young Pie Makers’ Award.”

Mrs Mee said: “We were very pleased when we found out, and incredibly happy. It’s such a big achievement for us, especially because it was our first time competing. It definitely gave us the confidence to enter again — we want to win more. We received our feedback from the judges as well, which has been incredibly useful in how we can improve for customers. It’s great for us to receive that kind of recognition, it’s great for our local business, and we’re so pleased and proud. We’re excited to see what we can achieve next year.”

The company sell their pies at Henley market, as well as markets in Caversham and Woodley. Pielicious also supplies its pies to the Angel on the Bridge pub, in Thames Side.