A female baker has taken out the top prize in the Bakels New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards for the first time in their quarter century history.

Sopheap Long, of Euro Patisserie in Torbay on Aucklands North Shore, won the coveted Supreme Award for her steak and cheese at a ceremony held in Auckland on Tuesday night.

The Supreme Pie is the best of the best, named by the competitions judges to be the top entry among the 11 category winners.

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Sopheap Long's Supreme Award-winning steak and cheese pie.

In all, Longs pie beat out nearly 5000 entries from 465 bakeries around the country.

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Bakels managing director Brent Kersel said Longs steak and cheese had everything going for it.

The steak was chunky but so tender it just melted in your mouth, he explained. It was surrounded by rich, dark gravy and topped with a semi-soft tangy cheese; just delicious. The golden flaky pastry had perfect layering and the base was lightly golden brown with a hand hold-able firmness. We just couldnt fault it.

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Sopheap Long, left, winning Best Apprentice Pie Maker in 2019; shes now baked the countrys best pie.

Steak and cheese is, along with mince and cheese, one of the most hotly contested categories in the annual awards, receiving the highest number of entries.

In winning the steak and cheese award, Long edged out seven-time supreme winner Patrick Lam, of Goldstar Patricks Pies in Tauranga, who placed second.

Long, who was Apprentice Pie Maker of the Year in 2019, also took out bronze in the bacon and egg category, won by another female baker, Shuly Ngann of Le Royal Bakery in Grafton, Auckland, and was highly commended for her mince and cheese, a category won by Ny Chan of Ronnies Cafe and Bakery in Matamata.

Chris McKeen/Stuff

Judges, including celebrity guest Peter Gordon, second from right, sampled close to 5000 pies.

Kersel said the standard of entries this year was very high across the board, after Covid-19 meant the competition did not go ahead this year.

On more than one occasion we had to go back and take another look at the top finalists in a few of the categories because the results were either a tie or half a point difference... Maybe during periods of lockdown in 2020 our bakers spent time polishing their skills.

Longs big win will almost certainly mean a run on her bakery, as has been experienced by previous winners, including Lam.

Pie fans from everywhere will be heading for [Longs] bakery to try her pies and Im sure they wont be disappointed, said Kersel.

BAKELS SUPREME PIE AWARDS 2021 WINNERS

MINCE & GRAVY

Gold Award: Jason Hay, Richoux Bakery, 119 Main Highway, Ellerslie

Silver Award: Chenth Bun, Euro Bake & Espresso Ltd, 45 Main Road, Kumeu

Bronze Award: Sok Heang Nguon, Taste Cafe & Bakery, 1a Crayford Street West, Avondale

Highly Commended: Vong Hean, Mairangi Bay Bakery, 366 Beach Road, Mairangi Bay

POTATO TOPPED

Gold Award: Michael Gray, Nada Bakery, Suite 4, 72 Main Road, Tawa

Silver Award: Patrick Lam, Goldstar Patricks Pies, Shop 14, 2 Taurikura, Tauriko

Bronze Award: Bunnarith Sao, Dairy Flat Bakery Ltd, 1443 Dairy Flat Highway, Dairy Flat

Highly Commended: Buntha Meng, Wild Grain Bakery, 16 Wainui Road, Silverdale

STEAK & CHEESE

Gold Award: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, 1028 Beach Road, Torbay

Silver Award: Patrick Lam, Goldstar Patricks Pies, Shop 14, 2 Taurikura, Tauriko

Bronze Award: Geemun Chao, Baker Bobs Bakery Cafe, 135 Chadwick Road, Greerton

Highly Commended: Jason Hay, Richoux Bakery, 119 Main Highway, Ellerslie

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE

Gold Award: Jason Danielson, Kai Pai Bakery, 17 Frederick Street, Wanaka

Silver Award: Nap Ly, Target Bakehouse & Cafe, 241 Manukau Road, Pukekohe

Bronze Award: Savanchamnan Ly, PieFee, 349 Karangahape Road

Highly Commended: Jacksea Tang, Penny Lane Bake Shop, 248 Onehunga Mall, Onehunga

CAFE BOUTIQUE

Gold Award: Lentil, potato, onion, carrot & celery; Brad Dalton, Ginger Dynamite go go food & coffee, 488 Main Road Riwaka, Riwaka

Silver Award: Venison & bacon; Jason Heaven, Caf Ahuriri, 16 Mahia Street, Ahuriri

Bronze Award: Beef, bourbon, bacon, aged cheddar cheese & garden herbs; Nicole Peake, The Whistling Frog, 9 Rewcastle Road, RD 2, Owaka

Highly Commended: Chicken breast with creamy mushrooms; Chi Meng Lo, Bay Coffee Hub, 279 Emerson Street, Napier South

GOURMET MEAT

Gold Award: Slow cooked Wagyu beef curry; Jason Hay, Richoux Bakery, 119 Main Highway, Ellerslie

Silver Award: Steak, mushroom & cheese; Geemun Chao, Baker Bobs Bakery Cafe, 135 Chadwick Road, Greerton

Bronze Award: Chicken, leek, mushroom & bacon; Jason Danielson, Kai Pai Bakery, 17 Frederick Street, Wanaka

Highly Commended: Roast pork, potato, mixed veg, gravy & apple sauce; Sopheap Try, Chelsea Bakery & Roast, 113 Randwick Road, Moera

STEAK & GRAVY

Gold Award: Kaing Sok, My Bakery Cafe Kelston, Suite 6, 4055 Great North Road, Glen Eden

Silver Award: Jason Danielson, Kai Pai Bakery, 17 Frederick Street, Wanaka

Bronze Award: Shuly Ngann, Le Royal Bakery, 21 Park Road, Grafton

Highly Commended: Patrick Lam, Goldstar Patricks Pies, Shop 14, 2 Taurikura, Tauriko

BACON & EGG

Gold Award: Shuly Ngann, Le Royal Bakery, 21 Park Road, Grafton

Silver Award: Chenth Bun, Euro Bake & Espresso Ltd, 45 Main Road, Kumeu

Bronze Award: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, 1028 Beach Road, Torbay

Highly Commended: Ratanak Nov, Corner Bakery, 180A Hillsborough Road, Hillsborough

MINCE & CHEESE

Gold Award: Ny Chan, Ronnies Caf & Bakery, 74 Broadway, Matamata

Silver Award: Vong Hean, Mairangi Bay Bakery, 366 Beach Road, Mairangi Bay

Bronze Award: Sok Heang Nguon, Taste Caf & Bakery, 1A Crayford Street West, Avondale

Highly Commended: Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, 1028 Beach Road, Torbay

VEGETARIAN

Gold Award: Creamed white sauce, spinach, sweetcorn, pumpkin, mushroom; Vong Hean, Mairangi Bay Bakery, 366 Beach Road, Mairangi Bay

Silver Award: Spinach, pumpkin, kumara, cranberries sauce & camembert; Geemun Chao, Baker Bobs Bakery Cafe, 135 Chadwick Road, Greerton

Bronze Award: Creamy sauce, carrot, kumara, peas, broccoli, onion, sweetcorn & coriander; Ty Lim, Orewa Bakery, 8 Moana Avenue, Orewa

Highly Commended: Kumara, pumpkin, potato, mixed vegetables; Sok Heang Nguon, Taste Caf & Bakery, 1A Crayford Street West, Avondale

COMMERCIAL WHOLESALE

Gold Award: Terry McMahon, Couplands Bakeries, 140 Carmen Road, Hornby

Silver Award: Tim Milina, Oxford Pies, 142 Maui Street, Pukete

Bronze Award: Martyn Mayston, Bake Shack Bakery, 59 Hewletts Road, Mt Maunganui

Highly Commended: Adelle Neilson, GWF, 78 Kerrs Road, Wiri

SUPREME

Gold Award: Steak & Cheese; Sopheap Long, Euro Patisserie Torbay, 1028 Beach Road, Torbay

The rest is here:

This is New Zealand's best pie - and for the first time in awards history, a woman baked it - Stuff.co.nz