Pie makers from around New Zealand gathered together in late July to battle it out for the title of 2025 New Zealand Bakels Supreme Pie.

It was a potato-topped entry from Rosedale Bakery & Cafe in Auckland who took home the top prize, with owner Samraksmey So saying his team ha spent the past 12 months perfecting the recipe after receiving a highly commended last year.

“I feel so excited,” he told 1news.co.nz.

“We take the time to fry the potatoes and then we put them on a tray with butter, garlic and rosemary and we bake them off. We cut them with a round cutter after baking and put them in the pie and bake again, and they look like a crispy outside.”

Mr So bought his first bakery in 2019, and first began to make waves in the industry when his mince and cheese entry won silver at the 2023 Bakels NZ Pie Awards. His sausage roll was also awarded the gold at the Bakels Legendary Sausage Roll competition that same year.

Celebrity chef judge Nici Wickes said the judges saw a number of fantastic pies at the competition.

“It was very hard to choose. You cut them open dead down the centre, open them up and it was unbelievably fantastic to see the different fillings people have gone for, how innovative they’ve been,” she said.

Chief judge Ian Moore agreed, saying the standard had been amazing.

“The final range is fantastic across the board and it just comes down to a half point here and a half point there. Once again those final flavours and the range had a significant difference in all of them because of their different categories. It was an amazing day and once again a great standard,” he said.

The gold winners on the day included:

• Potato Top: Samraksmey So, Rosedale Bakery & Cafe, Auckland
• Bacon & Egg: Sean Vo, Levain Artisan Bakery, Auckland
• Mince & gravy: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie, Auckland
• Mince & Cheese: Michael Gray, Nada Bakery, Wellington
• Steak & Gravy: Sok Heang Nguon, Taste Bakery and Roast, Auckland
• Steak & Cheese: Sok Meo, Milldale Bakery, Auckland
• Chicken & Vegetable: Mengheng (Jason) Hay, Richoux Patisserie, Auckland
•  Gourmet Meat: Buntha Meng, Wild Grain Bakery, Auckland
• Vegetarian: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie, Auckland

The full list of winners can be found on the Pie Awards NZ website.