Red Kitchen HQ owner Megan Priscott, left, and manager Jen Read with a batch of chicken and leek pies fresh from the oven.
Two Te Awamutu entrants in the 2023 Bakels New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards have secured respective slices of success.
The competition attracted almost 500 pie makers nationwide across 11 categories.
Both Red Kitchen HQ owner Megan Priscott and Central Café owner Murray Peterson placed in the top 10 in the award’s biggest category – café boutique.
More than 100 of this year’s entries were in that section alone.
Red Kitchen HQ’s pie – a chicken and leek creation – was highly commended, essentially fourth nationwide, while Murray’s entry – a steak cheese and bacon pie – placed sixth.
Established in 1996, the annual awards aim to help New Zealand’s baking industry continually improve.
Megan and her husband Mathew previously owned Red Kitchen Café and Store for 14 years.
Roughly five years ago, Red Kitchen HQ was established as an independent operation – supplying both the café and other retailers around New Zealand.
In June – with both arms of the business growing rapidly – the couple sold the Mahoe St café so Megan could focus solely on the HQ operation.
It’s the fifth year the team has entered the awards, having previously placed as high as runner up – though it’s the first time the chicken and leek pie has made an appearance.
“Honestly, the whole team is pretty proud,” Megan told The News on Monday, quick to point out entries were a team effort.
“I’d like to think we don’t just cook food at Red Kitchen HQ, we make it with love.”
“We think our pies are pretty good,” Red Kitchen HQ manager Jen Read added with a smile.
“So, of course, we’d like other people to know that too. Recognition in these awards is awesome, positive reinforcement,” she said.
Jen said chicken and leek was chosen this year because, through a process of elimination, it “came out on top as a staff favourite”.
What’s the secret to one of the country’s best pies then?
“Every step of the process is carefully thought out,” Megan said.
“To me, a good pie is almost like a satisfying meal, it should have a generous amount of filling.”
Jen agreed, adding that completing each individual step well ultimately adds up to a well-rounded finished pie.
The approach, it seems, is working.
Megan said Red Kitchen HQ gets lots of good feedback.
Next up, the team’s keen to give a curried vegetable and cashew pie with kumara topping a “whirl”.
Central Café owner Murray Peterson with his steak, bacon and cheese pies.
Meanwhile, Murray marked 11 years of owning Central Café alongside his wife Reanna on Sunday, and descried their placing as the “perfect” birthday present.
It’s the sixth year he’s entered, the fourth occasion one of his pies has placed.
“I’ve always enjoyed cooking. I like to make pies I’d personally love to eat as well. I think my criteria is it’s got to be delicious,” he smiled.
“A pie, I think, can’t be too flaky and can’t be too runny,” he said, describing eagerly anticipating this year’s results.
“It was delightful when we found out.”
A tiler by day, Murray said award recognition for a “part time cook” like himself means a lot.
“Being able to enter something like this is honestly the highlight of the year.
“I love what we’ve got here at Central Café, and – for me – hitting the competition field with the big time and placing is reassurance we’re doing well.”
Looking ahead, Murray said some type of venison pie had crossed his mind.
