More than 400 sausage rolls from across the nation lined up for judging in Christchurch on Thursday, hoping to be crowned the winner of the Bakels Legendary Sausage Roll Competition.
It was the second year of the competition running - a spinoff from the long-running Bakels Supreme Pie Awards.
The humble sausage roll is iconic to New Zealand, and gained some notoriety over the last year through Labour leader Chris Hipkins' love for the pastry.
NZ Bakels managing director Brent Kersel said it had always been a classic.
"It doesn't matter where you go, sausage rolls and pies are well known in New Zealand, they're just pieces of kiwiana that we have," he said.
Judges, made up of professionals around the South Island, had 408 entries to go through.
Bree Scott turned up without having eaten breakfast to make a bit of room.
"I was very well aware we were having over 400 entries today, and I think it gets whittled down to about 100, so I probably won't be having dinner either," she said.
Appearance was crucial in deciding New Zealand's next top sausage roll.
The field was whittled down by hundreds based on looks, with only the most alluring making it to the taste test.
Scott said a lot went in to judging.
"So first of all we're looking for presentation, so as soon as we open up the box it's got to look really good, then we're looking at the puff pastry, and then we're cutting it in half and we're examining the filling as well too," she said.
"It needs to be cooked perfectly, the pastry hasn't shrunk, it's got good seasoning, the meat hasn't shrunk inside the sausage roll, and the meat needs to have I think personally quite a bit of fat in there so you can get that flavour coming through," he said.
Kersel said the winning baker would go home with $1500 and a trophy.
He said their sausage roll sales were also likely to go through the roof - if it was anything to go by the winner of the last competition, Patrick Lam from Tauranga.
"I think he was selling about 1200 sausage rolls a day, so normally he would sell 150 to 200, so it just multiplies their business," he said.
The winning sausage roll will be revealed on Friday morning.
By Anna Sargent
