The best pie in New Zealand finally goes to a South Island bakery

For the first time, a baker from the South Island clinched the award for New Zealand's best pie.

Arlyn Thompson from Rangiora Bakery in North Canterbury beat out more than 500 bakers and over 5000 pie entries with her slow cooked Sumatra style beef pie to win the Bakels NZ Supreme Pie Award for 2024.

Thompson's victory marks the second time a female baker won the top award in the annual competition, which is in its 26th year.

The first female winner was Sopheap Long of Euro Patisserie in Torbay who won in 2021 for her steak and cheese.

There is quite a process involved "to make this beautiful concoction," Thompson told Morning Report.

"You have to have a good quality meat, with a little bit of fat so it won't be too dry, it needs to be cut to a certain size where when you cook it down it doesn't break apart, it doesn't go dry," she said.

"The spice paste is a combination of lemon grass, galangal, ginger and chillies, the aromatics, you've got the heat and then you've got the coconut milk that will enhance the favour and make it more smooth and creamy."

These ingredients all come together when you take your first bite, she said.

"You will have the flavours of the curry, not too spicy, just a balance of flavour, then you've got the cheese with a bit of saltiness then you've got the caramelised onion, tangy and sweet."

"The flavours are so well balanced and the pastry and tender meat are a perfect comfort combination," said pie judge and chef Sid Sahrawat. "On a cold winter's night, that's the pie you want to eat."

The Rangiora Bakery, which has a history that dates to 1860, received a silver award in last year's Supreme Pie Awards with its Thai Beef Brisket Gourmet Pie.

The competition has 11 pie categories, including bacon and egg, and vegetable. The top pies in each category are eligible to take out the Supreme Pie Award.

Thompson's winning pie was entered in the gourmet meat category which encourages bakers to get creative. The category is attracting more entrants and was the competition's third largest behind the classics steak and cheese, and mince and cheese.

"Right from the very first round of the gourmet meat judging, there were some really stand-out pies coming through with exceptional pastry making it a challenge to score on and then an abundance of flavour innovation," NZ Bakels managing director Brent Kersel said.

Other unusual contenders in the gourmet meat category included smoked trevally with peas, carrots, beans and corn, a Mexican venison and a spicey prawn pie.

Thompson, who also took out gold in the mince and gravy category, inched out renowed Tauranga baker, Patrick Lam, who has won the Supreme Pie Award eight times. This year, Lam took home several top ten finishes including gold awards in the potato top and the steak and gravy categories.

When it comes to staples like mince and cheese, standout pies must have pastry with "beautiful layering and a rich, moist and well-balanced filling," said Kersel. "For me, you can't beat a mince and cheese pie."

"Year on year, this competition is getting harder to win and with it our reputation as a pie nation with the best places in the world for pies, the credit goes back to our hard-working, dedicated bakers," Kersel said.

Previous Supreme Pie Award winners have seen pie sales soar often with a line of customers out the door.

"It's definitely life-changing for the winner," said Ian Moore, the judge in the steak and cheese category, told RNZ last week. "They won't be able to fill their pie warmer enough."

Full list of winners in Bakels Supreme Pie Awards

Bacon and Egg Pie

Gold Award: Cheth Bun, Eurobake Espresso Ltd, Kumeū

Silver Award: Theara Keo, Taste Bakery and Roast, Henderson, Auckland

Bronze Award: Seila Ly, Hillcrest Bakery & Cafe, Hillcrest, Hamilton

Mince and Gravy

Gold Award: Arlyn Thompson, Rangiora Bakery, Rangiora

Silver Award: Soem Top, Dinsdale Bakery, Dinsdale, Hamilton

Bronze Award: Tina Yi, Mairangi Bay Bakery, Mairangi Bay, Auckland

Mince and Cheese

Gold Award: Theara Keo, Taste Bakery and Roast, Henderson, Auckland

Silver Award: Kaing Sok My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland,

Bronze Award: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, Auckland

Potato Top

Gold Award: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland

Silver Award: Bun Heng Wong, Julia Bakery, Ellerslie, Auckland

Bronze Award: Patrick Lam, Patrick's Pie Group Limited, Tauranga

Steak and Gravy

Gold Award: Patrick Lam, Patrick's Pie Group Limited, Tauranga

Silver Award: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe, Glen Eden, Auckland

Bronze Award: Jason Kupe, The Butchers Pie, Rolleston

Steak and Cheese

Gold Award: Tola Chhunleng, Freemans Bakery and Cafe, Glenfield, Auckland

Silver Award: Tina Yi, Mairangi Bay Bakery, Mairangi Bay, Auckland

Bronze Award: Shane Kearns, The Baker Tirau, Tīrau

Chicken and Vegetable

Gold Award: Buntha Meng, Wild Grain Bakery, Silverdale

Silver Award: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, Auckland

Bronze Award: Chamnan Ly, Piefee, Auckland

Gourmet Meat

Gold Award: Arlyn Thompson, Rangiora Bakery for Slow Cooked Sumatra Style Beef

Silver Award: Jason Hay, Richoux Patisserie Ellerslie, Auckland for Maui's Mana Pie

Bronze Award: Srieng Choeu, Fresh Bun Cafe, Tuakau, Waikato for Scallop with Creamy White Sauce

Vegetarian

Gold Award: Patrick Lam, Patrick's Pie Group Limited, Tauranga for Stir Fried Vegetable with Potato

Silver Award: Songheng Sor, High Bakery & Cafe, Silverdale, Hamilton for Spinach, Mushroom and Onion

Bronze Award: Avina Tran, Paetiki Bakery, Taupō for Pumpkin, Broccolli, Potato and Mushroom

Café Boutique

Gold Award: Kerry Wellman, Leeves at Portstone, Christchurch 8023, New Zealand for Winter Pudding

Silver Award: Peggy Zhang, Kitchen Republic, Tauranga 3110, New Zealand for Sunday Roast - Lamb Pie

Bronze Award: Bridget Mcnaught, Relish Rangitikei, Hunterville for Slow Cooked Pork with Jalapeno

Commercial/Wholesale

Gold Award: Jason Danielson, Kaipai Bakery, Wānaka

Silver Award: Martyn Mayston, Bake Shack, Mount Maunganui

Bronze Award: Kerry Orchard, Gourmet Foods, Tauranga