Dominating New Zealand’s Pie Awards
At the 2025 Bakels New Zealand Supreme Pie Awards, Cambodian-born bakers once again showed their strength, sweeping up seven of the 11 categories. From steak and cheese, to vegetarian, to gourmet meat pies – their names were everywhere. At the very top, the Supreme Award went to Samraksmey “Sam” So from Rosedale Bakery in Auckland, for his stunning French-inspired potato-top pie.
This kind of win is not a one-off. Over the past decade, Cambodian bakers have been making headlines, with legends like Patrick Lam lifting the Supreme Award eight times, and Sopheap Long breaking ground in 2021 as the first woman to take the top spot. Together, they’ve reshaped the Kiwi pie world, taking what was once just a humble takeaway snack and raising it into something far more celebrated.
Their success doesn’t come out of luck. Behind it is resilience, community support, deep cultural heritage, and above all – an unshakable passion for excellence.
Resilience Forged in Adversity
The story of Cambodian bakers in New Zealand is really a story of survival turned into success. Patrick Lam, one of the most recognised names in the industry, fled Cambodia as a child during the Khmer Rouge years. After years of struggle in refugee camps and moving across borders, he finally found a home in New Zealand. In 1997 he opened his first bakery, guided by his brother-in-law. From those beginnings, he went on to win more pie awards than anyone else in the country.
Lam often says Cambodians are known for their hard work and pride in what they do. Growing up in situations where resilience was a necessity, he and many others brought that same determination into their work. For them, early mornings, endless shifts, and constant recipe testing are not burdens – they are the pathway to mastery.
Bunnarith Sao, another veteran with over 20 years in the trade, tells a similar story. Baking wasn’t what he wanted to do. In fact, as he puts it, “baking was the last option.” Arriving in New Zealand, unable to find other work, he was introduced to baking by a friend. What began as survival soon became his craft, and today his bakery is lined with awards. His journey mirrors many Cambodians: what started as necessity eventually became artistry.
Family and Community: The Backbone of Success
If there’s one thing that sets Cambodian bakers apart, it’s the strong family and community networks that support them. Many newcomers start their baking careers working in bakeries run by relatives or friends. Skills are passed down like an inheritance, and each generation builds on the last.
Sam So’s Supreme win in 2025 proves the point. He learnt his craft directly from his brother-in-law, Bunnarith Sao. In a proud twist, his potato-top pie beat Sao’s own entry that year. Another of Sao’s students, Sok Keo, also won gold for his steak-and-cheese pie. For Sao, the pride was double – not only was he winning awards himself, but the next generation he trained was doing even better.
The collaboration goes beyond families too. Sopheap Long often speaks of the way Cambodian bakers share tips and motivate each other. Instead of being competitors, they see themselves as a community, each pushing the others to raise the standard higher.
A French Influence on the Kiwi Pie
One of the lesser-known reasons behind their success lies in Cambodia’s history. The French colonial period left behind a deep culinary influence. French breads, pastries, and cakes are still part of daily life in Cambodia, shaping people’s tastes long before they even arrive in New Zealand.
For bakers like Sao and Long, this meant they came with an instinctive understanding of pastry – the buttery layers, the balance of flavor, the delicate texture. When they turned their attention to New Zealand’s iconic pies, they were able to bring that influence with them. The result is a perfect marriage: Kiwi tradition lifted with French-inspired technique.
Reinventing Classics with Passion
Cambodian bakers are also fearless innovators. Sopheap Long, who made history as the first woman to win the Supreme Award, constantly experiments with new flavors. She looks at meals from restaurants and imagines them as pies – from Korean bulgogi to classic stroganoff. Her creativity reflects the new direction of Kiwi pies, which have evolved far beyond the basic mince and cheese of decades ago.
Sam So’s award-winning potato-top pie in 2025 showed this innovation at its best. He transformed the traditional style with elegance – whipped potato blended with butter, garlic, and rosemary, baked into golden swirls. It wasn’t just tasty, it was art. Sam spent a full year perfecting the recipe, often working through late nights until he reached the balance he wanted. His effort, mixed with advice from a friend working in a five-star hotel, turned a Kiwi classic into something extraordinary.
When asked why he puts so much energy into it, Sam’s reply was simple: “Everything I do is by my heart and about love.” That passion is the defining ingredient of Cambodian bakers.
Redefining New Zealand’s National Dish
The success of Cambodian bakers is not just about pastry or fillings. It’s about turning struggle into opportunity, supporting each other, and blending cultures to create something new. They haven’t only baked pies – they’ve redefined them.
Each award is more than recognition. It is proof of resilience, creativity, and the power of community. From pioneers like Patrick Lam, to trailblazers like Sopheap Long, to new champions like Sam So, Cambodian bakers have made an indelible mark on New Zealand’s food culture.
And as long as their ovens keep burning, one thing feels certain: the best pies in New Zealand will continue to come from Cambodian hands.
Also read, Khmer Ancestral Cakes | Traditional Cambodian Sweets for Festivals and Spiritual Celebrations
