While Wanaka's Jason Danielson "threw together'' the country's best vege pie, he is more of a meat man himself.
"I usually go for a mince or steak. I still eat our vege pies, though.''
The Bakery Wholesale pie-maker won top prize in the vegetarian section at the 2016 Supreme Pie Awards in Auckland on Tuesday night.
The pie had only had "minor tweaks'' since he concocted the recipe in 2010 from pumpkin, broccoli, cauliflower, swede and carrot.
"Of course'' vegetarian pies counted as real pies, he said.
"What would that mean, that vegetarians can't eat pies?''
Mr Danielson does not mind baking during the week and most weekends because he finds time off "boring''.
His pie-making career began 25 years ago in Ashburton.
"It was just the job that came up when I was young. It was between that and working on a farm, and I thought I'd rather make pies.''
It was a "real honour'' to receive the award, he said.
The Bakery Wholesale is owned by Ian Warner and his wife Delwyn, who is Mr Danielson's sister.
The couple bought the Queenstown Bakery in 2010 and have expanded to employ 45 staff in Wanaka and Queenstown, producing 10,000 pies a day.
They sell pies nationwide through their Kai Pie brand.
Mr Warner said the success was "all Jason's doing''.
"I'm very proud that all of the effort he put into that pie and the business paid off.''
Chef Fiona Townsend, of Timaru's Replenish Cafe, won the silver award in the cafe boutique category with her organic chicken and leek pie.
