An Auckland bakery is celebrating after taking top spot in a national sausage roll competition.
Dairy Flat Bakery baker Bunnarith Sao was named creator of the best sausage roll in the country, being named the 2026 Bakels Legendary Sausage Roll champion.
Sao said his recipe was first created by his brother-in-law, but that improvements were made for this year's competition.
“We’re running out of ingredients because my sausage meat is specially made for us with extra ingredients and it is halal. My brother in-law Sam So of Rosedale Bakery used to work in my bakery and he developed the sausage roll recipe, and he won the last Legendary Sausage Roll competition in 2023," Sao said.
"I decided to concentrate on the sausage roll competition this year and I made a few changes to the recipe so that it was a bit different.”
The victory set in for Sao when he received a visit from NZ Bakels managing director Brent Kersel, who presented him with the trophy.
"It’s real now. It’s so exciting. When I saw Brent I knew something truly was happening. I was shaking and speechless. I don’t know what to say," Sao said.
Kersel revealed the judges base their decisions off "flaky, golden" crusts, a quality meat filling, and of course, onion and seasoning.
He said the clear victory of the 2026 competition wasn't expected.
"To actually win with three points ahead of the second place winner is unusual, it doesn’t happen very often. It was a clear winner."
Patrick Lam of Patrick's Pie Group in Tauranga won second place, with Michael Gray of Nada Bakery in Wellington taking third.
Just over 200 sausage rolls were judged at NZ Bakels in Christchurch yesterday.
SHARE ME