Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks took to Instagram to announce that his van containing 2,500 pies had been stolen as he urged thieves to embrace the Christmas spirit and give the food to community centres.
The successful pub and restaurant owner from Yorkshire had been due to deliver them to a pop-up pie stall at York Christmas Market.
“These guys probably didn’t bargain for the nearly ton of pies that is in the back [of the van]” he told his 141K Instagram followers.
Banks - who is also a long-standing judge on BBC’s Great British Menu - addressed the robbers directly.
Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks took to Instagram to announce that his van containing 2,500 pies had been stolen as he urged thieves to embrace the Christmas spirit and give the food to community centres
He asked the thieves to drop the pies off at a "community centre", so that “someone who needs them could eat them.”
Banks said: “I know you’re a criminal, but just do something nice because it’s Christmas and maybe we could feed a few thousand people with these pies you’ve stolen.
“Do the right thing!” he continued.
He added the stolen pie fillings included turkey and cranberry, steak and ale, and butternut squash.
The van stock - which also contained gravy and custard - reportedly would have been enough to supply his pie shop for an entire week.
The award-winning chef has been regularly updating eager followers of ‘pie-gate’ on his social media over the last 24 hours.
The chef asked the thieves to drop the pies off at a "community centre", so that “someone who needs them could eat them.
He thanked the public and catering industry for their “lovely messages” of support and for “being vigilant.”
“Time is starting to run out for these pie hostages” he told the platform last night.
In an update this morning, Banks told followers the police may have reportedly found the van, but “the pies and their whereabouts are still yet unknown.”
