KEY POINTS:
For the first time in the 12-year history of the Bakels New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards, a chicken and vegetable pie has taken top honours.
The culinary creation by Neville Jackson of Jackson's Bakery and Café in Havelock North was awarded the Supreme Award following a comprehensive tasting
process which saw 30 judges trying more than 3000 different pies.
It is the second consecutive year the Hawkes Bay baker has nabbed the top award.
His winning pie contained chicken, leek, celery, carrot and broccoli and was bound with a creamy sauce, flavoured with onion and garlic.
Chief judge Peter Grant said Neville had achieved an extraordinary feat in winning the Supreme Award two years running.
"Completely different judges to the previous year and he does it again," Grant said.
"[That's] testimony to an outstanding baker."
Neville also won gold awards in the Chicken and Vegetable, Bacon and Egg and Seafood categories and bronze awards for his mince and cheese and gourmet meat pies.
Pies were judged across 11 categories, with some bakeries taking out multiple prizes.
A record number of awards, 22 out of the 45 available, also went to Asian bakeries this year.
Among the most successful bakers were Bill Lenh Liem of Greenland Bakery in Botany, who won two golds - in the Steak and Cheese and Vegetarian pie categories - one silver, for his seafood pie; one bronze, for his steak, vegetable and gravy pie; and one highly commended award, in the Bacon & Egg category.
Saroun Lach of Elite Bakery & Cafe in Wellington also took out multiple awards, winning silver awards for his mince and gravy and steak, vegetable and gravy pies, a bronze award in the Chicken and Vegetable category and a highly commended mention in the Vegetarian category.
Shane Kearns, of Oslers Bakery Wairoa in Wairoa won a gold award in the Steak, Vegetable and Gravy category, as well as a silver award in the Bacon and Egg category, and two bronzes for his gourmet fruit and seafood pies.
Full list of winners:
Mince & Gravy
Gold: Michael Kleog from Ten O'Clock Cookie Bakery Cafe in Masterton
Silver: Saroun Lach from Elite Bakery & Cafe in Wellington
Bronze: Treang Mak from Pie Mania in Auckland Central
Highly commended: Bill Lenh Liem Greenland Bakery in Botany, Auckland
Steak (diced), Vegetables & Gravy
Gold: Shane Kearns from Oslers Bakery Wairoa in Wairoa
Silver: Saroun Lach from Elite Bakery & Cafe in Wellington
Bronze: Bill Lenh Liem from Greenland Bakery in Botany, Auckland
Highly commended: Sophak Luon from Beaut Bakery in Taupo
Chicken & Vegetables
Gold: Neville Jackson from Jackson's Bakery & Café in Havelock North
Silver: Anita Arrowsmith from Putaruru Bakehouse & Café
Bronze: Saroun Lach from Elite Bakery & Cafe in Wellington
Highly commended: Lam Ho from Paetiki Bakery in Taupo
Gourmet Fruit
Gold: Ruth Davis from Ma & Pa's Hi-Way Diner in Dunedin
Silver: Patrick Lam from Gold Star Patrick's Pies & Bakery in Rotorua
Bronze: Shane Kearns from Oslers Bakery Wairoa in Wairoa
Highly commended: Michael Kleog from Ten O'Clock Cookie Bakery Cafe in Masterton
Gourmet Meat
Gold: Michael Meaclem from Hillmorton Bakery in Christchurch
Silver: Bernard Yap from Bernie's Bakery & Café in Browns Bay, Auckland
Bronze: Neville Jackson from Jackson's Bakery & Café in Havelock North
Highly commended: Chad Meehan from Kidds Cakes & Bakery in Christchurch
Vegetarian
Gold: Bill Lenh Liem from Greenland Bakery in Botany, Auckland
Silver: Mab Peng from Food for Thought in Thames
Bronze: Jason Hay from Richoux Pattisserie in Ellerslie, Auckland
Highly commended: Saroun Lach from Elite Bakery & Cafe in Wellington
Bacon & Egg
Gold: Neville Jackson from Jackson's Bakery & Café in Havelock North
Silver: Shane Kearns from Oslers Bakery Wairoa in Wairoa
Bronze: Bernard Yap from Bernie's Bakery & Café in Browns Bay, Auckland
Highly commended: Bill Lenh Liem from Greenland Bakery in Botany, Auckland
Mince & Cheese
Gold: Jason Hay from Richoux Pattisserie in Ellerslie, Auckland
Silver: Minh Dien from Express Bakehouse Ngongataha in Rotorua
Bronze: Neville Jackson from Jackson's Bakery & Café in Havelock North
Highly commended: Sokun Kheng from Golden Crust Bakery in Gisborne
Steak & Cheese
Gold: Bill Lenh Liem from Greenland Bakery in Botany, Auckland
Silver: Mill St Pack n Save in Hamilton
Bronze: Bernard Yap from Bernie's Bakery & Café in Browns Bay, Auckland
Highly commended: Mab Peng from Food for Thought in Thames
Seafood
Gold: Neville Jackson from Jackson's Bakery & Café in Havelock North
Silver: Bill Lenh Liem from Greenland Bakery in Botany, Auckland
Bronze: Shane Kearns from Oslers Bakery Wairoa in Wairoa
Highly commended: Mab Peng from Food for Thought in Thames
Commercial/Wholesale
Gold: Murray Blair Swetman from Gourmet Foods in Tauranga
Silver: John Newell from Oxford Pies in Hamilton
Bronze: Grant Wilson from Maketu Pies in Maketu
Highly commended: Dennis Kirkpatrick from Jimmy's Pies Ltd in Roxburgh
Supreme Award
Neville Jackson from Jackson's Bakery & Café in Havelock North, for his chicken and vegetable pie.