TayHak Hour is thrilled to be working his way through his NZ Certificate in Trade Baking at Patrick’s Pies Goldstar Bakery in Tauranga.

He can also claim credit for placing second in the Apprentice Pie Maker Award on June 11.

Choosing which pie to enter though proved almost too difficult, it took 30 minutes to select the pie from just four that he had baked.

In the end his boss, Patrick Lam said he should just pick one and go for it.

As a result, his Gourmet Meat entry - duck in green curry with vegetables - had the judges thinking long and hard about the flavour profile having already acknowledged the presentation of the glossy golden pastry.

TayHak’s mince and cheese entry had earned top marks too and for a while there was talk of some results being very close with high marks.

The indecision in pie selection was not surprising. It’s a trademark of working for New Zealand’s most awarded baker.

Patrick Lam has won eight Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Awards and he’s eyeing up his chances of winning “lucky number nine” this year.

But each time he entered, he faced the same dilemma as TayHak, ‘which pie to choose’.

Like his fellow apprentice workmate, Srun Kéo, who won first place in the Apprentice Pie Maker Award, TayHak was sponsored by Lam to come to New Zealand from Cambodia on a work visa three years ago with his sister, who also works in Lam’s bakery.

At that time pies were completely foreign to him. It was the gravy that first appealed and from there TayHak has worked on becoming a good pie maker.

“TayHak was very happy to come to New Zealand to get a job working in the bakery and learning about how we bake here while earning some money to help his family back in Cambodia,” said Lam.

“Also, he says that he is grateful because we gave him the opportunity to do this job, and he really hopes that he can stay here as long as he can or maybe become a permanent resident.”

“Honestly, since TayHak and Srun came here I feel more relaxed because they can help me a lot. I’m so proud of them because they work hard and we can work together as a team. I’m really happy with them.”

Both men have bakery experience in Cambodia, and they were keen to start apprenticeships here shortly after they arrived but their work visas didn’t allow them enough time in New Zealand to complete their course, so they had to wait until their visas could be extended an extra three years before being accepted for the apprenticeship program.

TayHak started his apprenticeship last year at the same time as Srun.

When it comes to pastry and pie-making, Lam said TayHak was a fast learner.

“He knows how to roll the pastry, the temperature of the pie, and he does all the cooking as well.”

Apprentice Pie Maker 2nd Gourmet Meat. Photo / Supplied

Using Lam’s recipes, TayHak developed new flavours by changing out meats for others and different vegetables.

“We actually make a green curry chicken pie in the bakery. In Cambodia TayHak likes duck and he said ‘can we try duck?’ He tried duck and it came out as a very good combination. I’m happy for him to try his ideas, and it came out quite good,” says Patrick.

The duck remained moist during baking surrounded by the green curry that had a delicate, nicely balanced flavour.

TayHak wanted to express his thanks to NZ Bakels for the opportunity to enter the competition, and he hopes to enter again next year.