Bay of Plenty baker Pat Lam has been crowned New Zealand's pie king - for the seventh time. Lam was named winner of the Bakels New Zealand Supreme Pie Award on Tuesday night at a glitzy gala dinner in Auckland, where his mince and cheese creation was named the nation's
Bay of Plenty baker Pat Lam crowned supreme winner of NZ pie awards, for the seventh time
By Kiri Gillespie
Assistant News Director and Multimedia Journalist·Bay of Plenty Times·
4 mins to read
Subscribe to listen
Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber? Sign in here
Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
"[At that time] we don't have doctors, we don't have good medical conditions. Yeah, it was just so sad for us."
In 1989, Lam and his family-of-six fled to Sydney. Eight years later, they moved to Auckland and Lam started his own lunch bar in Avondale. Here, Lam's love of pies was born.
Lam now owns Patrick's Pies in Bethlehem, Tauranga Crossing plus Gold Star Bakery on Old Taupo Rd in Rotorua. Lam has regularly featured in the awards since winning his first supreme best pie title in 2003 for a mince and cheese entry.
The bakeries produce about 500 pies a day each with at least 26 different flavours.
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Lam said the secret to pie success was "that you make it right".
He attributed the secret to his own success to his parents.
"It's because of my Mum and Dad's sacrifice in Vietnam and all the work they have done to get where we are now. It's cliche but my Dad is my hero."
"[I'm a] hard worker, not that clever but [I] try to create something new all the time.
"I'm a refugee and I make the best pies in the country."
Judges spent nine hours tasting 5326 pies, entered by 553 bakers.
Bakels managing director Brent Kersel said Lam's pie was "absolute perfection" and the best he had ever tasted.
"The pastry was golden, with perfect lamination, flaky, and a delight to bite into. The filling though surprised us. It was like the cheese had been swirled through the mince and the way it blended in your mouth as a result was exceptional, delicious."
Kersel said it was interesting that the humble mince and cheese combination should win "but then it proves that if you get the formula right ... yes, mince and cheese can out-shine others".
"It takes a pie king to show us that and we congratulate Patrick on his success."
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Lam has won the supreme trophy, two gold and two bronze awards and $9500 in prize money.
Pat Lam's supreme winning pies
2019 - Mince and cheese
2018 - Roast pork, mushroom and cheese
2016 - Bacon and egg
2010 - Bacon and egg
2009 - Creamy bacon, mushroom and cheese
2004 - Mince and cheese
2003 - Mince and cheese
Where to get the best pies in the Bay of Plenty; local pie award winners:
Steak and cheese
Bronze award - Fast & Fresh Bakery, Taupō
Highly commended - Baker Bobs Bakery and Cafe, Greerton, Tauranga
Steak and gravy
Silver award - Fast & Fresh Bakery, Taupō
Bacon and egg
Gold award - Patrick's Pies/Goldstar Bakery, Tauranga/Rotorua
Silver award - Waihī Bakery, Waihī
Mince and cheese
Gold award - Patrick's Pies/Goldstar Bakery, Tauranga/Rotorua
Silver award - Baker Bobs Bakery and Cafe, Greerton, Tauranga
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Vegetarian
Bronze award - Patrick's Pies/Goldstar Bakery, Tauranga/Rotorua
Supreme award
Mince and cheese - Patrick's Pies/Goldstar Bakery, Tauranga/Rotorua
We asked people on the street what their favourite pie was. Here's what they had to say:
"Steak and cheese - the wife's."
Paul Whitehead, Tauranga
"It would be butter chicken. I just like butter chicken."
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Darrell Davis, Tauranga
"Bacon and egg, or fish pie."
Carlton Moonie, Tauranga
"Steak and mushroom."
Steve Clancy, Tauranga
