Country Cob Bakery in Kyneton won awards for best gourmet pie and best plain mince beef pie at the 2017 Australia’s Best Pie Competition last week, which attracted entries from 388 bakeries across the country.

The award for best gourmet pie was bestowed on the bakery for its chilli con carne pie.

“Put a lot of love in there,” bakery owner and head pastry chef Chan Khun said when asked for his secret to a top pie.

He said the judges’ feedback revealed they liked the juicy, not-too-fine mince and the pastry.

The bakery has stood in Kyneton for many years, but Mr Khun took over the business just a little over a year ago.

He had been in the industry for about a decade, but said this year there had been a concerted effort to improve.

As well as its category-winning pies, the bakery also took home gold medals for its chicken, ham and leek pie and its Thai curry beef pie at the Baking Association of Australia-run competition.

Silver medals were awarded for its meat pastie, vegetarian pastie, chunky beef pie, butter chicken pie, garlic prawn pie and sweet chilli prawn pie.

Mr Khun and his team are no strangers to success: earlier this year the bakery won awards for its white bread loaf and Thai curry pie at the Victorian Baking Show.

The bakery has also been recognised for its vanilla slice.