Melton Mowbray pork pie MBE man says he is a baker born and bred

Stephen Hallam works as a judge for several national food awards

An award-winning Melton Mowbray pork pie baker has been appointed MBE in the King's Birthday Honours.

Stephen Hallam, 66, was managing director of Dickinson and Morris, the Leicestershire town's oldest bakery, as well as being co-founder of the British Pie Awards.

Mr Hallam, from Cranwell in Lincolnshire, said he was "blown away" by the honour.

He said it reflected the quality of people he had worked with.

He helped restore Dickinson and Morris' shop after it was gutted by fire, and it became a major tourist attraction in the area

"It's nice to be rewarded for doing something l like doing," he said.

"I take a lot of pride in Melton and I see this as a 'thank you' to all of the people who have helped me down the years."

Mr Hallam described himself as "a baker born and bred", having grown up helping in his father Harry's bakery in Grantham.

"He said 'You should do what I never had the chance to do and get the qualifications'. He sent me on a two-year national diploma course in London," he said.

Mr Hallam then went to work in Germany before applying to work at the cruise line Cunard.

He was chief patissier on the QE2 when it was requisitioned in 1982 for service as a troop carrier in the Falklands War.

Mr Hallam met his wife Janet while they were working aboard the QE2

The existing crew had the option to leave or to continue serving on board a ship that would inevitably be a target for hostile forces.

He volunteered to stay on and turned his hand to providing wholesome meals for troops in challenging conditions.

"I went from preparing afternoon tea and cakes to going off to a war zone," he said. "The ship was very fortunate it wasn't seen."

While on board, Mr Hallam met another crew member - a telephonist called Janet - who later became his wife.

Mr Hallam stepped back from running the shop in 2020

"I met her when she came to blag a few cakes," he said.

The couple have a daughter Philippa, now aged 33.

In 1992, Mr Hallam took over at Dickinson and Morris, shortly after it had been gutted by a fire.

He ensured the Grade II* listed building was fully refurbished and it became one of the flagship brands of authentic Melton Mowbray pork pies.

He also became an ambassador for British pies, co-founding the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association (MMPPA) and supporting the protection of the pies under the EU Protected Food Names scheme, which has now been adopted under British legislation.

Mr Hallam - pictured here with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak - said he took a lot of pride in Melton Mowbray

He also co-founded the British Pie Awards in 2009, working with the likes of association chair Matthew O' Callaghan to raise the profile of the classic British product.

"There was nothing in the country to celebrate the excellence of pies," he said. "Now we get between 900 and 1,000 entries."

Mr Hallam stepped back from running the shop in 2020 but continues to act as judge at the pie awards, as well as other competitions such as the World Bread Awards.

He has also served as president of the British Confectioners' Association and earned the freedom of the Worshipful Company of Bakers and went on to gain the freedom of the City of London.