Pie Town, West End: Susie Yang on creating her palace of pies

Brisbane chef Susie Yang is the self-declared “mayor of pie town” in West End, and she’s doing something right — her pies are so good, the line at her new shop is often out the door.

Brisbane chef Susie Yang knew she was onto something when her pie pop-up, run out of a shared commercial kitchen, became the talk of the town in 2017. Now she’s in her own shop at West End, and the pie love hasn’t stopped. Brisbane News caught up with Susie to talk all things pie.

WHO: Susie Yang, 32 , Chef and Pie Town owner

What’s new with you?

I have just opened my pie shop, Pie Town, in West End, after two years as a successful market stall and pop-up. I call myself ‘the mayor of pie town’. Pie just feels so much more satisfying than cake. When we make our fruit pies it’s about 1kg of fruit in a whole pie. Our motto is all killer no filler. To me, pie is a celebration of whatever ingredient it’s showcasing.

Pie Town owner Susie Yang. Picture: Russell Shakespeare/AAP

So what makes a good pie?

Pastry is a fickle mistress who hates the heat. To get that truly flaky crust the dough needs to be made and rolled in cold conditions which can be tough to get in Queensland in the best of times. Again, it’s about being generous with the hero ingredient. It’s the superstar so making sure we use enough lime juice to give our key lime pie that great citrus kick or nice chunky pieces of steak in our pepper steak.

Key Lime Pie, Pie Town. Picture: supplied

Does baking run in the family?

No, it comes from a lack of desserts growing up in a Chinese family, but seeing all the amazing Western-style sweets and cookies my friends got to eat. Nobody in my family knew how to make these things so me being me I had to teach myself how to make the sweet treats I wanted to eat.

Did you study cookery?

I’m not a trained chef but I grew up with a grandfather who was a chef and a family that ran a Chinese restaurant so I have always been taught to love and respect food and where it comes from. We are always either eating food or talking about our next meal. I worked in marketing and as a professional photographer before starting Pie Town, which is where the aesthetics and Pie Town’s strong branding comes from. I wanted it to be cosy but with a sense of colour and fun. I’m a sucker for a good/terrible pun.

Pecan Pie, Pie Town. Picture: supplied

What was the catalyst for Pie Town?

I have family in the States – on the east and west coasts – and one of my most treasured experiences was going to random diners and restaurants and trying the ‘pie of the day’. When American barbecue restaurants started opening in Brisbane I was excited I’d be able to relive that experience right in my back yard. Unfortunately, while the meat was delicious, the pies were still lacking that wholesome pie goodness I was craving and I’m pretty stubborn so, in 2016, I decided to give it a crack and make my own.

Susie with her beloved rescue dog Ginnifer.

Was it a success from the start?

The first 10 pies were pretty terrible, so I made more and more until I felt like I had mastered it. And by that stage I had so many pies I was giving them to family and friends who encouraged me to start selling them at the markets. In 2017, I sold pies at the BrisStyle Twilight Market in King George Square, Milton Markets, Finders Keepers and a bunch of smaller one-off events. I quickly realised I’m not an early morning person and setting up a market stall out of a hatchback was never going to work. I had been baking out of Wandering Cooks, a shared commercial kitchen, and Angela Hirst the director asked if I wanted to run a pop-up. We launched with our first 12 pies of Christmas event with a line out to the carpark and from there we served three days/nights a week until we could find our permanent home.

Lemon Meringue Pie, Pie Town. Picture: supplied

What is your food philosophy?

I have always loved honest home-cooked food made with beautiful ingredients, care and love. We source from producers that are local as well as seasonal, who are working with nature to farm as ethically as possible. Along with this, as a small business owner and the daughter of small business owners, I believe that businesses should be more than just about the bottom line. As such we use 100 per cent compostable packaging, we compost our food waste, provide staff with support, training and a fair wage and do good in the world. I’m not saying we’re perfect but we’re trying every day to make a difference, even if it’s only in our little corner of West End.

Who or what inspires you?

All the small producers and foodmakers I’ve met and worked with along this journey. With large chains taking over and people becoming more disconnected from their food it’s nice to know there is still a strong, passionate community like Wandering Cooks, Barbecue Mafia, Echo Valley Farm, Food Connect Brisbane, and Bella & Tortie producing delicious food and putting out a little bit of good into the world.

And your idea of pie perfection?

It’s traditional, but when made well, a classic apple pie. We slow-bake ours until the apples and sugar caramelise and bubble over.