Winner, winner chicken dinner

A Mount Maunganui bakery's pies are taking on an added golden glow after scooping the best chicken and vegetable pie at the 2014 Bakels New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards.

One Tree Bakery received the Bakels New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards at last night's award ceremony, marking an end to fours year since their last gold standard.


Bunchoeun Keo, his wife Sokim You and the award winning pie. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

Alan and Bernie Woodford with their caramelised rhubarb and wild berry tart pie. Photo: Supplied.

Competition was tougher than ever this year with a record breaking 4832 pies entered by 533 bakeries from across the country – a five per cent increase from last year.

In total, 31 Tauranga bakers entered pies into the awards returning with seven national awards.

One Tree Bakery owner Bunchoeun Keo says being labelled one of the best bakers in the country is an amazing feeling.

The bakery also collected fifth spot in the steak and vegetable category and eighth in the vegetarian category.

'It's really exciting for our team because they have all worked very hard,” says Bunchoeun.

'This year was a very hard competition especially if Patrick [Patrick Lam from Patrick's Pies, Bethlehem] can't win gold.”

Pat is consistently amongst the top pie makers each year and collected another four awards last night.

Patrick's Pies received a silver award for their mince and cheese pie, silver for a vegetarian pie, silver for bacon and egg and bronze for chicken and vegetable.

Bunchoeun says there is nothing but respect and friendly rivalry between the two bakers, but it is his turn to take the award as best pie maker in the Bay of Plenty.

This is not the first time Bunchoeun and his team have received national awards – winning best steak and cheese pie in 2010 and a top five bacon and egg, then a sixth placing in the chicken and vegetable category in 2012.

'We have a secret recipe but one of the key things is a really shiny flaky pastry.”

Gourmet Foods from Tauranga won the gold award for commercial wholesale with their mince and cheese pie.

Banana Pepper Cafe from Waihi won the gold award in the café boutique category for their caramelised rhubarb and wild berry tart pie.

Banana Pepper Cafe owner Alan Woodford says there is nothing but 'incredible love” put into each handmade pie the café makes.

'It's all in the rhubarb.

'It's a basic recipe actually and we go out to the farm where the rhubarb is and pick it, then bring it back to process from there.”

It's the cafe's maiden gold award and already it has been inundated with calls of congratulations and people calling into the store – and selling 58 of the award winning tarts.

Celebrity judge Simon Gault says it's great to see such innovation, particularly since the country has a strong tradition in its pies.

'The top standard was really high. I think as Kiwis we should be very proud of our top pies. I could imagine the gold category winner pies being served in a restaurant.

'From my end it was very difficult to judge - which is always a good sign. It was hard to make the final decision because I know there's a lot riding on these awards. Bakers' reputations are on the line.”

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