Judges vote Dairy Flat Bakery unanimous Legendary Sausage Roll winner

There’s some top secrets to his winning sausage roll that Bunnarith is now happy to share.

“We’re running out of ingredients because my sausage meat is specially made for us with extra ingredients and it is halal. My brother in-law Sam (Samraksmey) So of Rosedale Bakery used to work in my bakery and he developed the sausage roll recipe, and he won the last Legendary Sausage Roll competition in 2023. I decided to concentrate on the sausage roll competition this year and I made a few changes to the recipe so that it was a bit different.”
Bunnarith says he got a huge surprise when he saw NZ Bakels managing director Brent Kersel outside his bakery early this morning coming in holding the trophy.

“It’s real now. It’s so exciting. When I saw Brent I knew something truly was happening. I was shaking and speechless. I don’t know what to say. Our sausage roll is busy and I have to talk to my suppliers. I’m running out of everything!”
The Dairy Flat Bakery sausage roll was among just over 200 to go through judging at NZ Bakels in Christchurch yesterday (October 1) with strict criteria to ensure that the best traditional sausage roll in New Zealand lived up to its standard.

Brent Kersel says: “We were looking for a sausage roll with flaky golden pastry that had a nice sheen; the filling needed to contain beef, lamb, pork or a combination of any of those, and no sausage roll is perfect without some onion and good seasoning. The bakers were allowed to add other vegetables and seeds to the top of the pastry but no cheese.

“In the final round of judges the judges were unanimous that they had found the best sausage roll in the competition. To actually win with three points ahead of the second place winner is unusual, it doesn’t happen very often. It was a clear winner.

“Basically, a traditional sausage roll would fit in at any party, social gathering or simply as a delicious snack any time of day.”

Patrick Lam of Patrick’s Pie Group, Tauranga won second place. In 2021 Patrick won the inaugural competition. Michael Gray of Nada Bakery in Tawa, Wellington won third place, respectively.