PHOTO
A Christchurch eatery has claimed the title of New Zealand's best boutique pie, while an Auckland bakery that was temporarily closed earlier this year due to "widespread cockroach activity” has won the supreme award.
Traiteur of Merivale on Papanui Rd won the gold award for its oven-roasted pear with vanilla, caramel and ginger pie in the Café Boutique section at the 2026 New Zealand Bakels Supreme Pie Awards in Auckland on Tuesday night.
The winning Traiteur of Merivale pie was created by Anthea Loeffen. It can be bought at the store for $10.95.
Meanwhile, a bacon and egg pie created by Sean Vo from Auckland’s Levain Bakery won the Supreme Pie Award. The “redemption” pie earned a perfect score.
“It was a pure delight to taste with its smoky slices and petite core of bacon, the generous amount of whole eggs, and that signature light, yet creamy sauce with a delicate hint of cheese,” said NZ Bakels boss, Brent Kersel, in naming the supreme pie award winner.
“My late father, he ate a bacon and egg pie every day in the morning and a cup of tea or coffee. That was his ritual. So that was my fondest memory of him as growing up, as working in the bakery beside my parents,” Vo told RNZ’s Morning Report the morning after his win.
“It’s a bit of a redemption story for us,” Vo said.
Back in May, Levain Artisan Bakery was forced to close because it received the lowest possible food safety grade. Documents provided to the Herald at the time showed the council forced the closure because of “widespread cockroach activity” and the operator was “not adequately managing pest control”.
On May 31, the bakery re-opened after a follow-up inspection and currently holds an A good grade, according to the Auckland Council website.
“To honour our family history and legacy we didn’t want to be known as a bakery infamous for that E grade, and we never had that in the history of our family,” Vo said.
“It was very disappointing, but we came back stronger. We put in better systems. We made sure that the older building was more compliant with council and better scheduled pest control.
“So we improved everything… it made us stronger. Just the support from other bakers that message us and the community telling us to hang in there and just come back stronger.”
Vo has owned and operated Levain with sister-in-law Huinly Nguyen for four years, taking over the small family run shop which has been in Blockhouse Bay for 40 years. Vo’s bacon and egg pie earned a gold in last year’s awards. He added another gold to his swag this year for steak and gravy.
Early doors on Wednesday, Levain had already sold 50 of their winning pies, with more going in the oven to satisfy another rush.
“It’s one of those foods that, it’s just easy to eat,” Vo said.
“That’s my wife’s favourite pie as well, aside from the steak and cheese. And, you know, it’s just, you just love that breakfast pie, or it could be a lunch pie or a cheeky little snack at the end of the day, if you wanted to.
“It’s one of those kinds of pies that it’s just an all rounder.”
Kersel said the pie awards, now in their 30th year, drew most entries in the traditional steak and cheese and mince and cheese categories.
But judges noted bakers had pushed the boundaries more than ever, listing memorable creations like Dutch beef stew (Hachee); Korean herbal chicken and spiced date; mountain goat curry with roasted kumara, pork sisio; smoked beef brisket with biscoff, jalapeños, cheese, truffle paste and soy sauce; ramon-do; Ceylon black pork curry; South African Durham lamb curry; beef brisket, pineapple and ginger sauce; roasted pear with vanilla, caramel and ginger and Lo’i hoosi.
2026 New Zealand Bakels Supreme Pie Awards
Cafe Boutique
Gold Award, Anthea Loeffen, Traiteur of Merivale, Christchurch for oven roasted pear with vanilla, caramel and ginger.
Bacon and Egg
Gold Award, Sean Vo, Levain Artisan Bakery, Auckland
Mince and Gravy
Gold Award, Jason Hay, Richoux Patisserie Limited, Auckland
Mince and Cheese
Gold Award, Cheth Bun, Eurobake Espresso Ltd, Kumeu
Potato Top
Gold Award, Sok Heang Nguon, Taste Bakery and Roast, Henderson
Steak and Gravy
Gold Awards, Sean Vo, Levain Artisan Bakery, Auckland
Steak and Cheese
Gold Award, Songheng Sor, High Bakery & Cafe, Hamilton
Chicken and Vegetable
Gold Award, Vong Hean, Pie2go Mairangi Bay Bakery, Auckland
Gourmet Meat
Gold Award, Tour Khin, The Village Bakery Cafe Piopio, for creamy paua and cheese
Vegetarian
Gold Award, Sophea Tang, Penny Lanes Bakery, Auckland
-RNZ and Allied Media