When Vietnamese-Australian couple Huyen Nguyen and Lam Khong took over a small bakery in Moore Park Beach in 2021, they had no idea they were about to create one of Australia's most celebrated pie success stories.
Fast forward to today, and Paradise Bakehouse has claimed multiple national titles, transforming their family business and putting the Bundaberg region firmly on Australia's culinary map.
The bakery's rise to fame reached its peak in 2023 when they claimed the coveted Plain Meat Pie title at Australia's most prestigious pie competition, beating out over 300 bakeries from across the nation. But this victory was just the latest chapter in a remarkable story of determination, community connection, and the pursuit of pie perfection.
'It's amazing, wonderful...we were yelling and crying. It means a lot for us because it's a big prize across Australia'
A family recipe for success
Paradise Bakehouse opened in Moore Park Beach in February 2021, after Lam and Huyen moved from Western Australia, where Lam had spent over seven years learning his trade in family-run bakeries.
What started as taking over an existing local bakery quickly evolved into something special, driven by Huyen's decision to leave her nursing career to become Lam's business partner.
The secret to their success? Community feedback and customer recommendations have shaped their innovative pie flavours. From their now-famous red curry crocodile pie to their dancing scallop pie, Paradise Bakehouse has built a menu of over 35 varieties, including unique local offerings like buffalo Bundaberg Rum pie.
The transformative power of winning
The impact of claiming national pie honours extends far beyond bragging rights. Previous winners report sales increases of up to triple their normal volume, with media attention including newspapers, radio stations, and television networks.
For Paradise Bakehouse, beating over 300 other bakeries and more than 1,500 entries has meant sustained growth and recognition.
Senior judge Dean Musgrave praised their winning entry for its 'even, gold appearance with a light puff top' and 'equal blend of gravy and good sized tender meat chunks' with 'excellent balance of seasoning'.
This attention to detail reflects Lam's philosophy of making 'every pie with our love' while continuously learning from customer feedback.
The Great Aussie Pie Competition legacy
Established in 1989 by John Ross and Craig Perry, the Official Great Aussie Pie Competition was created to raise quality standards of pies throughout Australia
Now in its 36th year, it's the nation's largest and longest-running contest for pies, sausage rolls and pasties
Prizes valued at over $50,000 with media coverage that can transform small businesses
More than just a competition
For Australian seniors, the Great Aussie Pie Competition represents something deeper than culinary excellence—it's about celebrating an iconic food that's been part of the national identity for generations. As organisers note: 'It's no secret that Australians love pies and sausage rolls!'
The judging process is rigorous, with entries assessed anonymously by industry experts against criteria including general appearance, filling quality, and pastry texture, with points deducted if fillings shrink after baking—because 'Aussies love their sausage rolls golden and chunky'.
This year's competition showcased Australia's diverse culinary landscape, with Banana Boogie Bakery from South Australia claiming the coveted best sausage roll title, while innovative entries included everything from cauliflower cashew mornay pies to curry beef offerings.
What makes a winning pie
For those curious about the secret behind Paradise Bakehouse's success, Huyen playfully keeps their exact recipe as 'a family secret,' noting that Lam 'has been working for almost 11 years...building up his skill day by day'. However, their approach offers valuable insights for anyone interested in quality food production.
Elements of Paradise Bakehouse's success
- Community engagement and customer feedback drive menu development
- Consistent quality and attention to detail in every product
- Willingness to innovate with unique local ingredients
- Family recipes and traditional techniques learned over years
- Strong partnership between owners with complementary skills
The couple's expansion tells its own success story. From their original Moore Park Beach location in 2021, they've opened a second store in Innes Park, both receiving strong community support. Regular customers knew about their competition entry and came by to congratulate them with hugs, creating 'a warm atmosphere' that feels 'like family'.
A recipe for community connection
Beyond the accolades and media attention, Paradise Bakehouse's story resonates because it demonstrates how local businesses can thrive by genuinely connecting with their communities. Lam and Huyen consistently thank their 'loyal customers' and acknowledge that 'without them we couldn't have made it'.
This customer-centric approach extends to their product development. Taking recommendations from customers, they've recently added buffalo to their menu, with their 'buffalo Bundaberg Rum pie' receiving 'really good feedback from customers so far'.
The competition continues to showcase Australia's incredible diversity of bakeries and flavours. The main award remains coveted due to increased sales it generates, with many people travelling interstate to sample winning pies—a testament to how food can bring communities together and celebrate local excellence.
For Paradise Bakehouse, their focus remains on 'researching, testing, and getting feedback from loyal customers' as they work toward future potential prize-winning pies, always eager to 'learn feedback from judges and everyone'.
What's your favourite local bakery, and do you have a go-to pie flavour that reminds you of home? Share your own pie memories and tell us about the bakeries in your area that deserve recognition!
Original Article
https://7news.com.au/news/australia...eensland-bakery-taking-top-honours-c-19989320
Paradise Bakehouse home to greatest meat pie—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: The locally owned bakery, which has outlets in Moore Park Beach and Innes Park, won the Aussie Pie Council’s plain meat pie award for its chunky steak...
Excerpt: claimed the coveted Plain Meat Pie title at Australia's most prestigious pie competition
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2023/09/23/paradise-bakehouse-home-to-greatest-meat-pie/
The 34th Official Great Aussie Pie Competition—Results
Cited text: Paradise Bakehouse from Innes Park, Queensland received the Best Plain Pie Title, whilst Rolling Pin Pies & Cake from Ocean Grove, Victoria receiv...
Excerpt: claimed the coveted Plain Meat Pie title at Australia's most prestigious pie competition
https://nbia.org.au/official-great-aussie-pie-competition/
Paradise Bakehouse win gold in Great Aussie Pie Comp—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: After moving to the region from Western Australia and opening Paradise Bakehouse in Moore Park Beach earlier this year, owners Huyen Nguyen and Lam Kh...
Excerpt: Paradise Bakehouse opened in Moore Park Beach in February 2021, after Lam and Huyen moved from Western Australia, where Lam had spent over seven years learning his trade in family-run bakeries
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2021/1...e-win-multiple-gold-in-great-aussie-pie-comp/
Paradise Bakehouse—Moore Park QLD—Pyney's Pie Reviews
Cited text: They took over this existing bakery in February 2021 and haven’t looked back. Lam has been baking for over 7 years and learned his trade over in WA wo...
Excerpt: Paradise Bakehouse opened in Moore Park Beach in February 2021, after Lam and Huyen moved from Western Australia, where Lam had spent over seven years learning his trade in family-run bakeries
https://pyneyspiereviews.com/paradise-bakehouse-moore-park-qld/
Paradise Bakehouse—Moore Park QLD—Pyney's Pie Reviews
Cited text: While Huyen a nurse by profession has ditched the whites and has been Lam’s sidekick since they took over last year.
Excerpt: Huyen's decision to leave her nursing career to become Lam's business partner
https://pyneyspiereviews.com/paradise-bakehouse-moore-park-qld/
Paradise Bakehouse win gold in Great Aussie Pie Comp—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: Huyen said inspiration for the pie flavours came from feedback from the community, and without that, winning the national Great Aussie Pie Competition...
Excerpt: Community feedback and customer recommendations have shaped their innovative pie flavours
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2021/1...e-win-multiple-gold-in-great-aussie-pie-comp/
Pies baked in paradise win gold—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: “Every pie we make with our love and we learn and get feedback from customers, therefore, we can improve our goodies.” · Always looking to improve the...
Excerpt: Community feedback and customer recommendations have shaped their innovative pie flavours
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2022/09/17/pies-baked-in-paradise-win-gold/
Paradise Bakehouse win gold in Great Aussie Pie Comp—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: Bringing home the champion title of best gourmet pie 2021 in Australia for their dancing scallop pie, along with the best gourmet poultry pie for thei...
Excerpt: red curry crocodile pie to their dancing scallop pie
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2021/1...e-win-multiple-gold-in-great-aussie-pie-comp/
Pies baked in paradise win gold—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: Currently the Moore Park Beach bakery team makes 35 varieties, including the new buffalo Bundaberg Rum pie. “At the moment we have over 35 varieties o...
Excerpt: over 35 varieties, including unique local offerings like buffalo Bundaberg Rum pie
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2022/09/17/pies-baked-in-paradise-win-gold/
The Official Great Aussie Pie Competition—The Official Great Aussie Pie & Sausage Roll Competition
Cited text: ... 'What surprised me most was the amount of attention the media gave us from newspapers, radio stations, and even television networks. Most of them ...
Excerpt: Previous winners report sales increases of up to triple their normal volume, with media attention including newspapers, radio stations, and television networks
https://greataussiepiecomp.com.au/
Paradise Bakehouse home to greatest meat pie—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: Paradise Bakehouse beat out over 300 other bakeries in the hotly contested category, with more than 1,500 pies, sausage rolls, and pasties from around...
Excerpt: beating over 300 other bakeries and more than 1,500 entries
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2023/09/23/paradise-bakehouse-home-to-greatest-meat-pie/
Paradise Bakehouse home to greatest meat pie—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: Senior Judge in the plain meat pie category Dean Musgrave said the Paradise Bakehouse entry had an even, gold appearance with a light puff top and was...
Excerpt: Senior judge Dean Musgrave praised their winning entry for its 'even, gold appearance with a light puff top' and 'equal blend of gravy and good sized tender meat chunks' with 'excellent balance of seasoning'
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2023/09/23/paradise-bakehouse-home-to-greatest-meat-pie/
Pies baked in paradise win gold—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: “We would love to say thank you to all family, friends and customers; without them we couldn’t (have) made it. “Every pie we make with our love and we...
Excerpt: Lam's philosophy of making 'every pie with our love' while continuously learning from customer feedback
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2022/09/17/pies-baked-in-paradise-win-gold/
The Great Aussie Pie Competition—Wikipedia
Cited text: The Great Aussie Pie Competition is an Australian food competition held annually by the Aussie Pie Council, the Great Aussie Pie Contest began in 1989...
Excerpt: Established in 1989 by John Ross and Craig Perry, the Official Great Aussie Pie Competition was created to raise quality standards of pies throughout Australia and promote higher quality pie production
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Aussie_Pie_Competition
First details released for Official Great Aussie Pie Competition—Baking Business
Cited text: The Official Great Aussie Pie Competition was established in 1989 by John Ross and Craig Perry, with the aim of raising the quality standards of pies ...
Excerpt: Established in 1989 by John Ross and Craig Perry, the Official Great Aussie Pie Competition was created to raise quality standards of pies throughout Australia and promote higher quality pie production
https://bakingbusiness.com.au/first-details-released-for-official-great-aussie-pie-competition/
Australia’s best sausage roll for 2025 has been crowned at a major national competition
Cited text: Now in its 36th year, the nation’s largest and longest-running contest for pies, sausage rolls and pasties attracts hundreds of entries from all corne...
Excerpt: Now in its 36th year, it's the nation's largest and longest-running contest for pies, sausage rolls and pasties
https://www.timeout.com/australia/n...rowned-at-a-major-national-competition-091125
Prizes for 2025—The Official Great Aussie Pie & Sausage Roll Competition
Cited text: Each year we try to out do the prize pool from the previous year and this year we have excelled.
Excerpt: prizes valued at over $50,000
https://greataussiepiecomp.com.au/prizes-for-2025/
The Official Great Aussie Pie Competition | Facebook
Cited text: This year at the 36th Official Great Aussie Pie Competition, we have OVER $50K worth of prizes to be won.
Excerpt: prizes valued at over $50,000
https://www.facebook.com/theofficialgreataussiepiecomp/
The Official Great Aussie Pie Competition—The Official Great Aussie Pie & Sausage Roll Competition
Cited text: It’s no secret that Australian’s love pies and sausage rolls!
Excerpt: As organisers note: 'It's no secret that Australians love pies and sausage rolls!'
https://greataussiepiecomp.com.au/
Australia’s best sausage roll for 2025 has been crowned at a major national competition
Cited text: Over three days of competition, all sausage rolls are judged anonymously by a panel of industry experts against a set of criteria: general appearance ...
Excerpt: The judging process is rigorous, with entries assessed anonymously by industry experts against criteria including general appearance, filling quality, and pastry texture, with points deducted if fillings shrink after baking—because…
https://www.timeout.com/australia/n...rowned-at-a-major-national-competition-091125
Australia’s best sausage roll for 2025 has been crowned at a major national competition
Cited text: Congratulations to SA’s Banana Boogie Bakery, which took out the win at The Official Great Aussie Pie Competition.
Excerpt: Banana Boogie Bakery from South Australia claiming the coveted best sausage roll title
https://www.timeout.com/australia/n...rowned-at-a-major-national-competition-091125
Australia’s best sausage roll for 2025 has been crowned at a major national competition
Cited text: In 2025, Banana Boogie Bakery took out the top prize for its classic beef sausage roll wrapped in puff pastry.
Excerpt: Banana Boogie Bakery from South Australia claiming the coveted best sausage roll title
https://www.timeout.com/australia/n...rowned-at-a-major-national-competition-091125
Results—The Official Great Aussie Pie & Sausage Roll Competition
Cited text: Cauliflower Cashew Mornay Pie Forster Bakehouse Forster, NSW · 2nd: Four Seasons Patisserie & Bakery, High Wycombe, WA—Curried Veg 3rd: Banana Boogi...
Excerpt: cauliflower cashew mornay pies to curry beef offerings
https://greataussiepiecomp.com.au/results/
Paradise Bakehouse win gold in Great Aussie Pie Comp—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: “He was at home for a rest at that time, however he came straight to the shop to tell me the good news as it is the biggest pie competition.
Excerpt: Huyen playfully keeps their exact recipe as 'a family secret,' noting that Lam 'has been working for almost 11 years...building up his skill day by day'
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2021/1...e-win-multiple-gold-in-great-aussie-pie-comp/
Paradise Bakehouse win gold in Great Aussie Pie Comp—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: “He held me up and gave me a kiss when he came to the shop.
Excerpt: Huyen playfully keeps their exact recipe as 'a family secret,' noting that Lam 'has been working for almost 11 years...building up his skill day by day'
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2021/1...e-win-multiple-gold-in-great-aussie-pie-comp/
Paradise Bakehouse home to greatest meat pie—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: “We couldn’t believe it, it’s a big thing for the state, and for Bundaberg, we are really happy for that.” · Paradise Bakehouse opened their first sto...
Excerpt: From their original Moore Park Beach location in 2021, they've opened a second store in Innes Park, both receiving strong community support
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2023/09/23/paradise-bakehouse-home-to-greatest-meat-pie/
Paradise Bakehouse home to greatest meat pie—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: Their second location in Innes Park opened earlier this year and has been well supported by the community.
Excerpt: From their original Moore Park Beach location in 2021, they've opened a second store in Innes Park, both receiving strong community support
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2023/09/23/paradise-bakehouse-home-to-greatest-meat-pie/
Paradise Bakehouse home to greatest meat pie—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: Huyen said some of their regular customers knew they were in the competition this year and called by to congratulate her with a hug. “It’s like family...
Excerpt: Regular customers knew about their competition entry and came by to congratulate them with hugs, creating 'a warm atmosphere' that feels 'like family'
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2023/09/23/paradise-bakehouse-home-to-greatest-meat-pie/
Pies baked in paradise win gold—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: Lam said they were thrilled to bring home a swag of awards again this year, and he thanked his loyal customers for their ongoing support.
Excerpt: Lam and Huyen consistently thank their 'loyal customers' and acknowledge that 'without them we couldn't have made it'
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2022/09/17/pies-baked-in-paradise-win-gold/
Pies baked in paradise win gold—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: “We would love to say thank you to all family, friends and customers; without them we couldn’t (have) made it.
Excerpt: Lam and Huyen consistently thank their 'loyal customers' and acknowledge that 'without them we couldn't have made it'
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2022/09/17/pies-baked-in-paradise-win-gold/
Pies baked in paradise win gold—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: “Especially new is (our) buffalo Bundaberg Rum pie, which (has) really good feedback from customers so far!
Excerpt: Taking recommendations from customers, they've recently added buffalo to their menu, with their 'buffalo Bundaberg Rum pie' receiving 'really good feedback from customers so far'
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2022/09/17/pies-baked-in-paradise-win-gold/
The Great Aussie Pie Competition—Wikipedia
Cited text: The main award is coveted due to the increased sales it generates, with many people travelling interstate to sample the winning pie.
Excerpt: The main award remains coveted due to increased sales it generates, with many people travelling interstate to sample winning pies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Aussie_Pie_Competition
Paradise Bakehouse home to greatest meat pie—Bundaberg Now
Cited text: As for next year’s competition, Huyen said they would spend time researching, testing, and getting feedback from their loyal customers as they worked ...
Excerpt: their focus remains on 'researching, testing, and getting feedback from loyal customers' as they work toward future potential prize-winning pies, always eager to 'learn feedback from judges and everyone'
https://www.bundabergnow.com/2023/09/23/paradise-bakehouse-home-to-greatest-meat-pie/
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