IT was a winner, winner, chicken pie dinner for Lac Van Hong and his Midland bakery when they took home a trophy in a national competition’s poultry pie category.
Highland Bakery & Patisserie won gold for their chicken and vegetable pie and silver for their beef pies at the 2018 Australia’s Best Pie and Pastie Competition held in Queensland last week.
The latest success is further recognition for the family-owned bakery at Centerpoint Shopping Centre. Last year Highland’s plain sausage roll took top gong at Fine Food Australia’s Official Great Aussie Pie and Sausage Roll Competition in Sydney.
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READ NOWMr Hong’s 19-year-old daughter Vivian, who works at the bakery, said she had the tough gig as chief taster and quality control before the bakery delivered its winning goods to the judges.
“My dad, Lac Van Hong, would make some batches and select a few for the competitions,” she said.
“He brings home the pies so I can taste and then he’ll adjust based on what I’ve tasted.”
Being a baker’s daughter and having worked at the family bakery for five years, Ms Hong admitted she had enjoyed her fair share of pies in her life.
“Every single time I work, I would eat pies and still to this day, I’m still not sick of it,” she said.
“When I eat other pies at other places, I’m a bit more critical and aware of the taste.”
Highland Bakery & Patisserie also won Bronze in the traditional pastie and vegetable pastie categories.
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