Let's not mince words - he's our pie king

LUCY CRAYMER
When people asked a young John Van Den Berk what he wanted to be when he grew up, the reply was not an award-winning pie maker but instead "a builder".
Fortunately for Hawke's Bay pie-lovers, his dreams changed and now he's a national champion.
Last night his mince and gravy pie from John's Bakery and Cafe in Heretaunga Street collected a gold medal at the 2005 Bakels Supreme Pie Awards last night and its creator is already looking ahead to next year's competition.
His win topped off a near clean sweep by Hawke's Bay bakers in the mince and gravy section of the national competition. Bronze in the section went to Oslers Bakery, Wairoa, and highly commended was awarded to Greenland Bakery in Waipukurau.
Although steak pies that melt in the mouth are Mr Van Den Berk's favourite, it seems his mince pies are the judges pick - along with the gold he received a silver medal for his mince and cheese pie behind supreme award winners, Brookfields New World in Tauranga.
And while it is undoubtedly his passion for the perfect pie that led to Mr Van Den Berk's award, growing up with a family bakery might have helped just a little.
His bakery has been running for 15 years and this is it's the first medal in the competition.
"It hasn't really sunk in yet but it's quite exciting. It's a huge boost for me and my bakers," he said.
The winning pies were "whipped up" in an afternoon - the secret of his success "was making them properly the first time", he said.
And it sounds like its Mr Van Den Berk's five-year-old daughter who has the recipe just right.
"She loves making pies full of lollies, jelly beans and chocolate chips," he laughs.
Hawke's Bay continues to have the baker with the most medals after BJ's Bakery's James Buckrell picked up a silver medal in the Gourmet Meat section with a smoked chicken with sun-dried tomato in basil pesto cream.
Jackson's Bakery and Cafe in Havelock North gained a highly commended for their chicken and vegetable pie.* The $7500 national award was won by a vegetarian baker for a flavour he does not eat: mince and cheese.
Danny Dalton, pastry manager at Brookfield New World in Tauranga, was named winner of the 2005 Bakels Supreme Pie Award in Auckland last night.
And the secret of his success? Removing the fat. "We skim all the meat and take a lot of the fat out. It's a bit leaner."