MERRIAM, KAN. — At the American Pie Council (APC)’s annual National Pie Championships, David Eaheart, Seaboard Foods’ senior director of communications and brand marketing, won the top prize in the Florida Beef Council Savory Beef Pot Pie category.

Eaheart used Daily’s Premium Meats bacon in the pie, which Seaboard said added a flavor profile that helped the entry stand out in the beef category.

“I love to use bacon in everything I make, even in dessert pies,” Eaheart said. “This year, I wanted to stay true to the beef pot pie category but elevate it. The saltiness of the Daily’s bacon and sweetness of the potatoes complemented the beef flavor beautifully. It was a unique beef pot pie, but it was traditional enough that judges knew it was still a pot pie.”

The APC has been hosting the National Pie Championships since 1995, and this year, the organization added beef pot pie, pecan pie, mango pie and pear pie to the flavor categories.

“We were so impressed by the culinary innovation brought to the table at this year’s National Pie Championships,” said DeAnne Maples, executive director of the Florida Beef Council. “Many savory beef pies rely on the same flavor profiles, so it’s tough to show us something we’ve never seen before, but Eaheart did just that. His take on the beef pot pie was both technically impressive and delicious, well deserving of a win.”