By Peter de Graaf P rize-winning pies are a family tradition for David Liem, who picked up Northland's only honour in the recently announced Bakel's Pie of the Year Awards.
David, a baker at Bright Bakehouse and Coffeeshop in Whangarei, received a highly commended for his bacon and egg creation.
He works
with his sister, Helen, who owns the bakery, and brother Bill, who has the best command of English.
David's older brother, Bill Lenh, who owns a bakery in Auckland, added to his already vast collection of pie honours with gold and silver medals this year.
"I learnt everything from my brother - he got gold awards three years running," David said.
So why was Whangarei's bacon and egg effort singled out? "I'm not sure," he said humbly. "You have to ask the judges, but a lot of people say we make the pies so yummy."
David was born in Vietnam to Cambodian parents, and worked as a managerial assistant in Ho Chi Minh City before coming to New Zealand six years ago.
He bakes more than 100 pies a day, which are sold only at the bakery, and won a bronze medal in 2002 for his steak, mince and gravy pie.
This year's Supreme Pie of the Year Award went to a Tauranga bakery for its mince and cheese. The awards have in the past been dominated by Hawke's Bay, but Auckland's pie-makers edged ahead for the first time this year.
