World Pasty Championships makes a welcome return after last year's cancellation

World Pasty Championships at the Eden Project in Cornwall

The World Pasty Championships made a welcome return to the Eden Project in Cornwall this weekend (March 5) after being cancelled last year because of the pandemic.

The international event has a variety of categories for both professional and amateur competitors to flex their baking muscles.

This year saw a long-overdue victory for Jon Lovejoy from Plymouth.

The father of two has been competing in the event for nine years, coming second on five occasions.

But finally, he took the top prize in the 'Cornish Pasty Amateur' 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."

Left to right - Summer Lovejoy, Daisy Lovejoy and their dad Jon Lovejoy who all took home prizes Credit: Eden Project

Pasty making skills must run in the family because not only did Jon win first place, but his daughter Summer won the top prize in the 'Open Savoury Junior' category, and then second in the 'Cornish Pasty Junior' category, with third place going to his other daughter Daisy.

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."

Competitors try to create the perfect Cornish pasty

A truly international event, Her Excellency Josefa González-Blanco, Mexico’s Ambassador to the UK, was a special guest at the awards.

She hailed the strong culinary links between Mexico and Cornwall and presented the special Pasty Ambassador award to Mike Burgess of The Pure Pasty Company in Vienna, Virginia, USA.