A beef Wellington is amongst the winners of Australia’s biggest pie competition.
The Official Great Aussie Pie Competition has wrapped for a 36th year, with Paradise Bakehouse in Queensland taking home gold for Australia’s Best Meat Pie.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: The Great Aussie Pie Comp
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After recently expanding to three locations in Bundaberg, the bakery won first place in the Plain Meat Pie division.
Paradise took home the same prize in 2023, and won Best Gourmet Pie in 2021.
The four-day competition was held in Sydney at Fine Food Australia, which announced the results live on their Facebook page on Thursday afternoon.
The Vietnamese owner, Lam Khong, was lost for words when handed the trophy, overcome with gratitude.
Co-owner and Lam’s wife, Huyen Nguyen, told www.20304050.best of her appreciation for customers.
“We wouldn’t have achieved (first place) without customer support ... we say thank you to locals and staff.”
The secret to being a three-time-winner will remain a family secret, Huyen teased.
“He’s been working for almost 11 years ... building up his skill day by day.”
They were up against over 200 bakeries, surpassing 1500 total entries this year.
Lam loves cooking and baking, and Huyen said he has learned recipes from his mother.
“He puts a lot of effort in ... now it’s paid off.”
The bakery, only open since 2021, has seen a big influx of customers, which they shared in a four-year milestone to Facebook in May.
“Your enthusiasm and loyalty have been the key ingredients to our success, and we are thrilled to share these milestones with our amazing community,” Huyen said.
Other than a gold trophy and bragging rights, the first-place prize is valued at over $50K worth of goodies, including an oven, vouchers, and cash.
Pies are judged hot and cold, on a series of criteria including shape, colour, size, meat and pastry quality.
The Pie Father in Rosebery, New South Wales, took home second place.
Other major prizes include the Plain Sausage Roll, won by Banana Boogie in South Australia, and even a Gourmet Vegan Pie section won by WA’s Mt Barker County Bakehouse’s Roasted Cauliflower with Black Truffle and Provolone Cheese Pie.
Beef Wellington has made it back in the news following Erin Patterson’s fatal recipe earlier this week, as the winner of the most innovative pie by Jack’s Café and Bakery.
“Luckily, the pie competition officials have confirmed that no judges have fallen ill after tasting the pie, and it was a clear winner for the team,” the judges said.
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