So helen is trying to make out it's a unique idea when she has worked for Greggs?

I thought her idea was of a British fast food was great!. The pies looked so apetitsing with the peas and potato. I'm not a big fan of fast food chains but if there was a fast food like Helen's then I would definitely be interested in eating in there.
In the times we are living in with obesity I think Helen's idea of wholesome food is a brilliant idea.

Something that was never touched on is the appeal it would have for foreign tourists.

Pies are not wholesome food.

greggs is a bakery, this was a meal.

Different kind of pies though. It's more like a place I used to go in Australia they did the same type of pies as they were doing

It was a pertinent, relevant and excellent idea. Did she say it was unique? I didn't notice that. Also didn't know she worked for Greggs but big up to her as at least she's possiblly used her experience and knowledge. Maybe if Natasha had done so she wouldn't have been fired.

During Tom and Helen's pitch to Sugar and his people, Tom says at one point: "Unshamedly 100%, completely, brilliantly British".

Why 'unshamedly'? What does he mean by that?

God knows. No idea what it means.

If we're being charitable, perhaps he meant that British food has a pretty crap reputation, and he believes that this is unfair and that MyPy is going to be in the vanguard of a renaissance in British cuisine.

But it was probably just waffle.

It's actually "unashamedly", he was implying that he was proud to be selling a British product.

Ah. Wondered what on earth it meant.

Thanks for the spelling correction, but what makes their food choices 100% British, though?

Potatoes aren't British as it was introduced to Britain in 16th century. Peas aren't either as it was introduced to Britain in 17th century. Britain said hi to meat pies when the Roman Empire paid a visit. It cannot be "unashamedly 100%, completely, brilliantly British". Historically, "100% British" were rabbit/hare/boar/deer/dog/horse/sheep/fish dishes (yes, pre-Roman people ate dogs), oat meals and bread.

Pedantic, moi?

pies aren't unique, there's greggs and ofcourse even microwave pies that you can buy and make your own.

But given them a break. Thry have two days to launch an entire restaurant, it's not easy, and they're no foodies either.

By Christopher Columbus?

Pie and Mash shops used to be common place all around London and the East End in particular but now you have to travel miles to find a decent one and many people do.

Their concept was spot on.

Depends what's in them and how they're made. There didn't look to be anything wrong with their pies.

Did you spot anything in particular which makes you think they were unwholesome?

Apparently! And his mate "William" Drake. They were both writers, apparently, at the same time as Byron the Vegetarian, and Shakespeare.

I thought they looked great; a pie doesn't have to be unhealthy if the pastry is made with vegetable fat. I particularly liked the mini-pie idea for people with smaller appetites.

The raises the question of when something becomes "British", or any nationality, after it's been assimilated into the culture. Given that modern people would find almost everything about the early life of the first settlers of this island to be utterly alien, I think we have to assume that things do, at some point, become part of the culture. The most obvious example, perhaps, being the cup of tea.

Besides, if you wanted to be really pedantic, then you can't complain about pies being a Roman introduction, because before the Romans arrived this island was called Albion. If you want something to come from "Britain" (as opposed to, say, "Britanee"), then you have to wait for the arrival of Modern English in the 16th century. So, if we're really being pedantic, then none of your objections hold up.

Grown and produced in Britain?

I have to disagree. As long as they are made with good quality ingredeints and don't use transfats in the pastry, there are perfectly OK as part of a well balanced diet.

Pieminister* do great pies, with inventive fillings, and their stall usually has the longest queues when I've been at festivals.

* - Other good pie manufacturers are available

Unlike Natasha who has a degree in hospitality and running a restaurant and made no use of that because it was "a long time ago", Helen was smart enough to draw on what she knew. She has also been smart enough not to mention her degree in law.

Long time ago, the image of British food was so poor. Even just a few years back, French PM said something silly about the British food. He said: "how come you trust a nation who can't cook to hold the Olympic Games".

I think that was an unfair comment. Modern British food is actually great. I deal with a lot of foreign people. Most of them like British food, even simple food like fish & chips (the Chinese love it). The French love English breakfast. Roast beef is always popular.

Sweeny Todds in Reading has been doing this for years.