The team claimed four golds and three silver medals at the Great Aussie Pie Competition and were named the champion game pie.

The top gong was for a venison pie developed by John Jnr in collaboration with his mother Sandra, who developed the recipe.

"John actually produced the pie when he won Bake Skills Australia," John Snr said.

"He hadn't cooked it for about six years and a couple of days out from when the entries were due we decided we'd do that again."

With time short the next challenge was to source some venison.

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"We left it a bit late," John Snr said "we usually get ours from the East Nowra Butchery, but we had to make do with what we could source from a supermarket and only had enough to make the four pies required for competition.

"You usually make a bigger batch of pies in case there are any issues and then pick the best three or four to enter.

"Thankfully everything worked out well. And obviously the judges linked it too."

He said the venison pie is a challenge.

"We do it differently to our other pies," he said.

"Venison is also hard to get and expensive but it's worth it, and it's a beautiful pie.

"It is cooked for six to seven hours in big casserole pots - has a wide variety of vegetables like carrot, potato, celery, swede and parsnips, things you don't often get in a pie - a variety of herbs and spices, red wine and of course the venison."

And after taking out the top gong it must be on the business menu for at least three months.

"To take out the best game pie is pretty special. It was up against duck, crocodile and kangaroo pies - there was even a crocodile and cricket combination.

"To have the champion game pie for Australia is special."

Bakehouse Delights also claimed gold medals for the red Thai chicken curry pie, the chunky meat and the gourmet pie. Silvers came in the plain pie section, chicken and for the fruit mince tart.

"We're very proud of our efforts," he said,

"NSW as a whole did very well, which is great to see."

There were around 1500 entries in the nationwide competition, with the judging completed in Sydney.

"There were some great entries in the competition," Mr Reminis said.

"Due to COVID this year we had to send the pies by transport. They are usually hand delivered.

"It's been an interesting year - we didn't enter the competition earlier in the year as three of the eight judges actually came from our bakery and we thought that was unfair to enter our work. So it's nice to be recognised this time."

And the secret to a good pie?

"Good meat is the number one, above all else," he said.

"It's got to be a good lean meat, the pie's got to have flavour and a good pastry."

Bakehouse Delights produces around 300 dozen pies a week (that's around 3600 pies), then there are the sausage rolls and pasties before they even get to the breads, cakes or sweets etc.

And while he's not giving too much away regarding any possible new pie varieties, Remo did say they have developed a new vegan sausage roll.

"These types of competitions are great," he said.

"For me, it keeps me on my game. It keeps me working on improving myself and our recipes.

"We have some great pie producers in the Shoalhaven, out at South Nowra and Ulladulla and the competition between each other is cordial and friendly.

"But it's also good for us - I think if one of us is doing well it makes all of us work that little bit harder to raise the bar.

"We push each other."

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