A Lancashire restaurant chef has created an epic fish and chip pie

Gareth Mason has developed a staggering three tier pie that includes fish, chips and mushy peas inside a crust - the ultimate combination of two beloved British favourites.

Gareth, 33, is executive chef at Retreat Restaurants which own three eateries in tier three Lancashire and Greater Manchester that can only open for takeaway.

So he devised the tantalising three tier pie which he dubbed a "northerners dream come true" and said could potentially become a new takeaway favourite.

The pie sees a layer of mushy peas and battered cod placed on a crust paste and topped off with hand-cooked chips.

The restaurant is anxiously waiting for a government announcement on its tier system next week, which could see them being allowed to re-open if it is placed in tier two.

Gareth, who oversees menu changes for the restaurants, said the pie could become a firm favourite if it was added to the menu.

The pie, which measures around 20cm long, 10cm wide and more than 5cm deep, was Gareth's brainchild after the region was placed in tier three.

He said: "It's a northerner's dream come true. Two classic favourites in one.

"It was just a joke really to demonstrate the tier system and make a meal that relates to that.

"So we made a three tier pie for a tier three restaurant.

"I blind-baked the pastry and cooked the filling in the oven. I didn't put a crust lid on it as you wouldn't be able to close it with the chips on top.

"I cooked it in a takeaway foil tray so that we could cut it open and you can see the tiers when it is served.

"It's actually a good idea. It could be a new favourite on a takeaway menu if we can't open next week."

Gareth has also created a "Lancashire Egg" after much debate over whether a Scotch Egg was a substantial meal.

Using a duck egg - which is bigger - he layered pork, black pudding and turkey before coating it in sage and onion Panko for a festive theme.

He added: "The idea behind the egg was to poke some fun at the whole substantial meal debate over scotch eggs in pubs.

"People were arguing that if you put a side salad with it, does it make it a substantial meal?

"I used a duck egg because it's bigger for a start, covered it in pork sausage meat and coated in sage and onion and it's served with a side salad.

"Both meals are undoubtedly substantial, so either would be great for a pub looking to serve beer too."

Gareth says it has been a tough year for the hospitality industry and the uncertainity has added to the anxiety.

He said: "There is uncertainty as to what is going to happen, it's quite frustrating.

"We have two restaurants in Greater Manchester and one in Lancashire, so during the last tier system the ones In Lancashire could open but the two in Greater Manchester couldn't.

"Now, none of them can open, only for takeaway. When the announcement is made next week, we could have different rules for different restaurants again."

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