New Zealand's best pie for 2024 has just been revealed
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A great pie? Say less.
From steak and gravy to mince and cheese and fancier fare (scallops!), New Zealand’s best pies have been announced. Winning bakeries from around the country were celebrated in Auckland and, for the first time, a South Island bakery has nabbed the Supreme prize at the 2024 Bakels NZ Pie Awards.
This year’s field counted 5,000 entries and 545 bakers, but there can only be one Supreme winner...
Of the 110 finalist pies (over half from Auckland) one from Rangiora has made history.
It’s the first time a South Island bakery has secured the top honour in the 29-year history of the awards. Baker Arlyn Thompson from Artisan by Rangiora Bakery has won the Supreme Award for her entry in the Gourmet Meat category.
The winning pie? A slow-cooked “Sumatra style” beef pie that celebrity judge Sid Sahrawat described as “beautiful” to eat.
“The flavours are so well balanced and the pastry and tender meat are a perfect comfort combination,” Sahrawat said in a media release. “On a cold winter’s night, that’s the pie you want to eat.”
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The win has made Thompson – who also took home the Gold Award in the Mince & Gravy category – the second woman to win the Supreme prize. Sopheap Long, of Euro Patisserie Torbay, was the first woman to win the Supreme award in 2021, and she’s a finalist in seven categories this year. Of the 110 finalist pies this year, 26 were baked by women.
Including Thompson, eight South Island bakers were among the finalists this year. They’re outnumbered by businesses located in the North Island. Of the finalists across all categories, 62 pies were from 23 Auckland bakeries.
Famously, the Supreme Award has long been dominated by the respected Patrick Lam, who has won eight times, including in 2023, with his Gourmet Meat entry, a roast duck pie. Lam did well in the 2024 competition, and this year the baker won the Gold Awards in the Steak & Gravy and Vegetarian categories, took home Bronze in Potato Top, and was a finalist in four other categories.
Deliberations for the Supreme Award take place behind closed doors, and they followed a long day of judging last Thursday.
Rules are strict, with weight limits and ingredient parameters. And, with the exception of the Café Boutique category, all pies have to be made from pastry created from scratch.
There were 11 categories this year – Mince & Cheese and Steak & Cheese are the largest, with Gourmet Meat the third most popular with bakers – and each category has 10 ranked finalists, and dedicated awards (gold, silver, bronze and highly commended).
Mince & Cheese
Gold Award: Theara Keo, Taste Bakery and Roast, Henderson, Auckland
Silver Award: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland
Bronze Award: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, Torbay, Auckland
Highly Commended: Sok Heang Nguon, Taste Cafe and Bakery Avondale, Avondale, Auckland
Steak & Cheese
Gold Award: Tola Chhunleng, Freemans Bakery and Cafe, Glenfield, Auckland
Silver Award: Tina Yi, Mairangi Bay Bakery, Mairangi Bay, Auckland
Bronze Award: Shane Kearns, The Baker, Tīrau
Highly Commended: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, Torbay, Auckland
Gourmet Meat
Gold Award: Arlyn Thompson, Rangiora Bakery, Rangiora - Slow-cooked Sumatra-style beef pie
Silver Award: Jason Hay, Richoux Patisserie Ellerslie, Ellerslie, Auckland - Maui’s Mana Pie
Bronze Award: Srieng Choeu, Fresh Bun Café, Tuakau - Scallop with creamy white sauce pie
Highly Commended: Murray Gray, Mataura Mutton Pies, Mataura - Mutton mince and breadcrumbs pie
Bacon & Egg
Gold Award: Cheth Bun, Eurobake Espresso Ltd, Kumeū, Auckland
Silver Award: Theara Keo, Taste Bakery and Roast, Henderson, Auckland
Bronze Award: Seila Ly, Hillcrest Bakery and Cafe, Hamilton
Highly Commended: Tola Chhunleng, Freemans Bakery and Cafe, Glenfield, Auckland
Mince & Gravy
Gold Award: Arlyn Thompson, Rangiora Bakery, Rangiora
Silver Award: Mr Soem Top, Dinsdale Bakery, Hamilton
Bronze Award: Tina Yi, Mairangi Bay Bakery, Mairangi Bay, Auckland
Highly Commended: Jason Hay, Richoux Patisserie Ellerslie, Ellerslie, Auckland
Steak & Gravy
Gold Award: Patrick Lam, Patrick’s Pie Group Limited, Tauranga
Silver Award: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland
Bronze Award: Jason Kupe, The Butchers Pie, Rolleston
Highly Commended: Buntha Meng, Wild Grain Bakery, Wainui
Potato Top
Gold Award: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland
Silver Award: Bun Heng Wong, Julia Bakery, Ellerslie, Auckland
Bronze Award: Patrick Lam, Patrick’s Pie Group Limited, Tauranga
Highly Commended: Samraksmey So, Rosedale Bakery & Café, Rosedale, Auckland
Chicken & Vegetables
Gold Award: Buntha Meng, Wild Grain Bakery, Silverdale, Auckland
Silver Award: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, Torbay, Auckland
Bronze Award: Chamnan Ly, Piefee, Auckland CBD
Highly Commended: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland
Vegetarian
Gold Award: Patrick Lam, Patrick’s Pie Group Limited, Tauranga - Stir-fried vegetable with potato pie
Silver Award: Songheng Sor, High Bakery & Café, Silverdale, Auckland - Spinach, mushroom and onion pie
Bronze Award: Avina Tran, Paetiki Bakery, Taupō - Pumpkin, broccoli, potato and mushroom pie
Highly Commended: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland - Creamy spinach and vegetable mix with camembert pie
Café Boutique
Gold Award: Kerry Wellman, Leeves at Portstone, Woolston, Christchurch - “Winter Pudding” pie
Silver Award: Peggy Zhang, Kitchen Republic, Otūmoetai, Tauranga - Sunday roast lamb pie
Bronze Award: Bridget Mcnaught, Relish Rangitikei, Hunterville - Slow-cooked pork with jalapeño pie
Highly Commended: Anthony Pearson, Kerikeri Bakehouse, Kerikeri - Double cheeseburger pie
Commercial/Wholesale
Gold Award: Jason Danielson, Kaipai Bakery, Wānaka
Silver Award: Martyn Mayston, Bake Shack, Mount Maunganui
Bronze Award: Kerry Orchard, Gourmet Foods Ltd, Judea, Tauranga
Highly Commended: Tom Grooten, Dad’s Pies, Silverdale, Auckland
What flavour tickles your fancy?
This article was written by Emma Gleason in the NZ Herald, and is republished with permission.
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