DEFRA consults G Kelly’s Neil Vening on pie and mash recipe that could gain protected status

G Kelly pie and mash shop owner Neil Vening was consulted by DEFRA as part of Parliament’s debate on whether or not to give the famous Cockney pie and mash dish protected status, like Cornish pasties or Champagne. 

Last week parliament debated whether or not to give the Cockney pie and mash protected status, like Cornish pasties or Champagne. 

Last Wednesday a Conservative MP for Essex led a parliamentary debate calling for the East End’s traditional Cockney dish of pie and mash to be given protected status. 

Former Conservative party chairman, MP for Basildon and Billericay Richard Holden argued it was: ‘The original fast food… part of the Cockney diaspora.’

He believes pie and mash should have protected status, like Bramley apple pie filling or Cornish Pasties. 

Protected status for historical foods like the Cornish Pasty or Bramley apple pie filling prevents people from marketing foods that divert from an agreed traditional recipe. 

Neil Venning, whose family has been serving pie and mash as well as jellied eels at Roman Road’s G Kelly’s since 1939, is all for the recipe being protected. 

He said: ‘There’s a lot of pubs doing a version of it and putting stock cubes and all these flavourings in it and that’s not what it’s about. 

‘Every pie is handmade so they’re not rolled out of a big machine like a Greggs pasty. 

‘Each one is hand cut off so every single pie is a little bit different, that’s important to recognise the craft of it not just coming out of a big machine and stamping it out.’

Holden made his case from the dispatch box tracing how old-school eel pie had been replaced by mince during the Industrial Revolution when pollution in the Thames eels became scarce.

Importantly, pie and mash shops kept the parsley sauce known as ‘liquor’ which usually goes with fish. 

Vening said: ‘It is one of the only traditional meals that we really have in this country that has its roots in poor people’s food. 

‘The roast dinner and roast meats were lovely but that was rich people’s food. 

‘Fish and chips is kind of one, but it’s relatively recent. There have been pie and eel sellers on the streets for hundreds of years.’

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) consulted Vening on the specifics of the traditional recipe for ‘pie and mash’ indicating that it is likely to receive traditional speciality guarantee (TSG) status, if a recipe can be agreed.

Vening said there hadn’t been much contention about what the recipe should be as the point of the recipe is its very simplicity – handmade pastry, minced meat and parsley sauce with no funky additives or flavourings. 

The preservation of the technique is also key for him. 

Holden has written to 40 MPs with pie and mash shops in their constituencies and is confident that his campaign will succeed. 

‘I don’t start campaigns I can’t win,’ he said.

Environment Minister Daniel Zeichner has welcomed the movement saying the government would ‘go big’ on regional food and encouraged a formal application.

Pie and mash shops have declined by two-thirds across London from 60 in 1970 to under 30 in 2020. 

Thankfully, Vening says G Kelly’s business is booming and thanks to the sheer number of regulars he can sell the pies for a bargain £2.60. Long live proper pie and mash.

If you enjoyed this piece you might like The Legend of G.Kelly: making quality working class food for generations.