Mrs McFarlane — a Gloriavale leaver — had previously come second in the national pie-making contest.
A Bakels spokesperson said the competition had 32 entries from baking apprentices right across New Zealand.
Mrs McFarlane’s gourmet meat pie was a creamy beef stroganoff with triple cheese.
Entrants were required to make a mince and cheese pie to show their skills set and a gourmet meat pie to show innovation and food knowledge.
Judging took place in Auckland on June 10.
Now wholesale and retail bakers had their turn to compete.
Entries for this year’s Bakels New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards have to be in by June 24 at 5pm.
Those who used store-bought pastry could enter the cafe boutique category.
Then were nine categories entrants could enter in, including: mince and cheese, steak and cheese, potato top, gourmet meat and vegetarian.
Wholesale bakeries — producing 60,000 or more pies in a seven-day period — were eligible for the commercial/wholesale category.
Each gold award pie winner would receive $1000 and the supreme winner would receive $7500 on top of their gold award prize money.
"This is our 28th year of the Pie Awards, and it’s become one of the biggest food competitions in New Zealand with hundreds of entries and thousands of pies being judged," New Zealand Bakels managing director Brent Kersel said.
Further information was at www.pieawards.nz
