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New Local Food Truck: Cornish Treat in a Handheld Pie

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Another unique food truck is entering the Fresno/Clovis market.

Jeremy Dyer normally prints t-shirts. Now, he and his partners are starting Union Jacks Pasty Shack. And that’s pasty pronounced the British way, “PAST-ee.”

Ben Cunliffe is a UK native and his father is David Cunliffe, a retired Michelin-rated chef. The elder Cunliffe helped influence the recipes for the relatively simple pasty, a crimped crust shell filled with meat or vegetables.

“It’s a Cornish pasty dish dating back to England in the 1200s. And we wanted to bring something unique and different to Fresno, to the Valley,” Dyer said.

This is his first foray into the food business.

“We wanted something else to do, another revenue stream. So we jumped into this,” Dyer said.

Dyer is partnering with Craig Lopez and Ben Cunliffe on the food truck venture.

Cunliffe is a UK native and his father is David Cunliffe, a retired Michelin-rated chef. The elder Cunliffe helped influence the recipes for the relatively simple pasty, a crimped crust shell filled with meat or vegetables.

The truck will make its formal debut on May 22 at Enzo’s Table at the corner of Willow and Shepherd avenues in Clovis — a popular spot for food trucks.

Five Variety of Pies

“It’s a Cornish pasty dish dating back to England in the 1200s. And we wanted to bring something unique and different to Fresno, to the Valley.”Jeremy Dyer

The handheld pies are inspired by meals consumed by miners in Cornwall, England. Because of arsenic on their hands, the pies were crimped, to serve as a handle. The pasty is becoming increasingly popular. In fact, Michigan residents consider it the state’s signature dish.

“(It is) essentially a Hot Pocket or a chicken pot pie in your hand,” Dyer said.

Union Jack Pasty Shack is offering five varieties of pies — steak and blue, which Dyer expects to be the most popular; three cheese and onion; ham and cheese; tandoori chicken; and chicken and chorizo.

Pies sell for $7.95 each. The truck also offers sausage rolls — like a pig in a blanket — for $4.95. Two flavors of drinks, watermelon and passion fruit, go for $3.95 each.

A Special Guest

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday in the parking lot of sister company Big Bear Apparel in Clovis, Dyer’s father came to wish his son good luck. That would be Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer.

“It’s my honor to be here to support him,” Mayor Dyer said.

Dozens of guests and well-wishers attended the ribbon cutting. The reviews were positive.

“It’s really good. Nice and flaky crust, delicious,” Sharon Isackson of Clovis said.

Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer and granddaughter Charlotte at the ribbon-cutting in Clovis of the Union Jacks Pasty Shack food truck on Wednesday, May 13, 2021. (GV Wire/David Taub)

Curiosity drives David Taub. The award-winning journalist might be shy, but feels mighty with a recorder in his hand. He doesn't see it his job to "hold public officials accountable," but does see it to provide readers (and voters) the information needed to make intelligent choices. Taub has been honored with several writing awards from the California News Publishers Association. He's just happy to have his stories read. Joining GV Wire in 2016, Taub covers politics, government and elections, mainly in the Fresno/Clovis area. He also writes columns about local eateries (Appetite for Fresno), pro wrestling (Off the Bottom Rope), and media (Media Man). Prior to joining the online news source, Taub worked as a radio producer for KMJ and PowerTalk 96.7 in Fresno. He also worked as an assignment editor for KCOY-TV in Santa Maria, California, and KSEE-TV in Fresno. He has also worked behind the scenes for several sports broadcasts, including the NCAA basketball tournament, and the Super Bowl. When not spending time with his family, Taub loves to officially score Fresno Grizzlies games. Growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area, Taub is a die-hard Giants and 49ers fan. He graduated from the University of Michigan with dual degrees in communications and political science. Go Blue! You can contact David at 559-492-4037 or at Send an Email

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