The Irvine Valley pulled of its second giant-killing of the week.
Following on from Darvel's incredible Scottish Cup success against Aberdeen, independent bakery David at Brownings scooped top prize in the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards haggis category.
Dubbed as the Oscars of the baking industry, the Galston shop, which has just one small oven, defeated huge shops from around the world to bag the diamond award for their steak mince and haggis pie.
And owner of the Cross Street eaterie, David Gall, who also has a shop in Newmilns, admits it was an amazing feeling, especially after Darvel's heroics on Monday night.
He told the Kilmarnock Standard: “We were actually shocked, when it was announced I didn’t realise I’d put the pie into that category!
“There’s a hot savoury category and I thought I’d put it in there, so it was more of a shock than anything.
“It was a good feeling, it’s the first time in seven years of entering that we’d won an overall category.
“We’ve won gold, silver and bronze before but never the overall diamond award.
“It’s great for us, we’re just a small independent, everything is made in a wee corner of my kitchen.
“I have one wee oven and I’m making up to 600 sausage rolls a week, then even more pies and much more."
David continued: “I spoke to my brother John the other night and we agreed that the Irvine Valley has certainly done well this week between Darvel at the football and Galston for our award.
“We’re a world champion in the haggis category, so there has been two giant-killers in the Valley this week!
“But the Valley has done so well, there’s a community spirit around the place.
“A lot of people from Galston and Newmilns went to the Darvel game, and we have customers coming from Darvel, the community is pulling together.
“We should be proud of the Valley, we can achieve things whether it be a small football team beating a big one, or a small independent bakery beating the big ones, we can do it.
“You just need to put your mind to it and do something you’d be proud of, believe in your product and get it right."
David admits being from Ayrshire made it even more special winning the haggis award just before Burns Night.
And he did so using local meat from WW Wales in Kilmarnock.
He said: “We won the silver for the pie last year, but this year I did something slightly different – which is my secret – and it came out on top.
“It was quite unexpected, it was the only award we won but if we’re going to win an overall category that’s what I’d want.
“It was exceptional, winning a haggis award on the week of Burns Night is even more special.
“It was important that someone from Ayrshire won that category, it’s Burns country down here, that was a good feeling.”
He added: “I spoke to WW Wales about it, I let them know I’d won as it was their mince and haggis that we used for the awards.
“We use local suppliers to help keep everyone’s business ticking over, that’s what I thought was good coming out of it.
“It’s great for the whole community.”
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