You can’t beat a classic Supreme Pie

“This is such a well-deserving win,” says NZ Bakels managing director Brent Kersel, “I can’t speak highly enough of Levain Bakery’s bacon and egg Supreme pie. 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. Its pastry and presentation sold us the whole package in the cold judging round and we couldn’t wait to try it. We weren’t disappointed; a perfect pie and a perfect score.”
In 2025 Sean Vo, owner of Levain Bakery of Blockhouse Bay, Auckland won gold in the Pie Awards for his bacon and egg pie and on receiving the award he spoke of his Vietnamese parents coming to New Zealand and eventually buying the bakery, which Sean now owners.

“They wanted to grow a very successful business specialising in English-style baked goods like Chelsea buns, Sally Lunn buns, tank loaves, and fruit loaves etc with pies a big seller.

“We never had bacon and egg pies in our culture, but French patisserie and baking were in our blood… Dad loved bacon and egg pies. He ate one almost every day. That was his thing in the morning, a cup of tea or coffee and a bacon and egg pie. That’s my fondest memory of Dad when I was growing up”, says Sean.

Brent Kersel says: “In 1996 NZ Bakels launched the Pie Awards to encourage bakers to lift the quality of their pies. This judging day is historic in marking 30 years since the competition’s inception, but also in showing the world that if you want a pie beyond anything you have ever tasted, then it has to be a New Zealand pie, baked here!
“The bakers who entered pulled out all stops to showcase their baking skills and their innovation. The result was an incredible journey of global and classical flavours paired with eye-catching presentation. Gold leaf highlighted three of the pies; clever use of pastry cutters added critters hinting at the contents; and the flavours…We had, to name just a few, 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 the talk of the judging kitchens – Lo’i hoosi.

“The Steak & Cheese and Mince & Cheese categories were again our highest in entry numbers closely followed by the Gourmet Meat category, proving that the balance in the pie warmer must always be classical, recognisable flavours and something creative and different for dedicated pie fans.

“Congratulations to Sean Vo and the team at Levain Bakery, and to all of our other winners. Be proud of what you have achieved,” says Brent.