Bay potato-top pie best in the land

Greenmeadows New World's award winning potato-top pie

A Kiwi classic has stolen judges' hearts to take away the hotly contested national supreme pie award.

The 19th annual Bakels New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards saw the humble potato-top pie from New World Greenmeadows bakery take out the top crown.

Edging out 512 other competitors, New World's patented pastry was described by the judges as a perfect ratio between a flavoursome filling, a super creamy potato top, and a delicious pastry shell.

Famed New Zealand chef and celebrity judge Martin Bosley, who had not expected to be blown away by the potato-top pie, said tasting it made him nostalgic.

"I was immediately transported to my grandmother's kitchen as a young boy when she would cook up her famous shepherd's pie for the family," Mr Bosley said.

"I was won over by how every aspect of the winning pie was executed to equal perfection."

Chief judge Tim Aspinall, who has been judging pies for 12 years, said selecting a supreme pie-award winner has become challenging, with such a high standard of entries to choose from.

"Pie entries need to meet myriad criteria, from pastry to presentation to flavour.

So, to get to the final stage is a great feat in itself.

Pie making is truly an art form.

"No matter what type of pie we're talking about, that first impression is crucial, but a successful pie maker will get all the elements right," Mr Aspinall said.

The panel of 21 judges spent over 10 hours last week judging 5200 pies, which were blind coded in 12 categories, including the new Kiwi favourite Potato Top Pie category.

Personality Dominic Bowden of Dancing with the Stars presented the 49 awards with celebrities Hayley Holt, Nici Wickes and Graeme Hill also making special guest appearances.

The winners, New World Greenmeadows owner Iain Beaton and baker Shane Forster, walked away with the coveted Supreme Pie Maker trophy and $7500 cash, while gold award winners did not go away empty-handed, each receiving $1000 cash.

Past Bay winners include Waipukurau's Angkor Wat Bakery, Havelock North's Jackson's Bakery & Cafe and Flaxmere's Hollies Bakery.