Missing Sydney’s meat pies, this young Malaysian brought them home and built Haus of Pie

KUALA LUMPUR, June 18 — The best meat pies tantalise our senses.

First comes the crisp shatter of golden pastry. Then the rich aroma escaping with every tear of the crust. Beneath that lies the reward: a filling that is hearty without being heavy, yet savoury enough to satisfy.

In Australia, the humble meat pie is woven into everyday life. It is the sort of food found everywhere — grabbed from a bakery on the way to work or eaten courtside at a football match. For many Australians, it is a comforting constant.

But not only for Australians. For Shawn Lu, a Malaysian who had studied in Australia, there’s nothing quite like an Aussie meat pie.

Some food cravings fade with time, you see. Others might well follow you home, as it did for Lu.

After spending four years in Sydney — two completing a degree in Media Arts and Production at the University of Technology Sydney and another two working full-time — he returned to Malaysia carrying more than just memories of life abroad.

He recalls, “It was then that I fell in love with Australian meat pies. Hence, Haus of Pie was born.”

Rolling pastry for the meat pies. — Picture courtesy of Haus of Pie

Today, Haus of Pie operates as an online business specialising in freshly baked Australian-style meat pies, selling primarily through weekend pop-ups, markets and scheduled deliveries.

He says, “Leaving the friends, connections, and the life that I built wasn’t easy, but over time, the distance from family and all the important moments I missed back home, pushed me to rethink what really matters.”

While he was weighing up what came next, thoughts kept returning to one particular food.

“While I was in Australia, one simple thing stood out. Australian meat pies. From convenience stores to bakeries to high-end restaurants, they were everywhere. Somewhere along the way, I fell in love with them.”

That affection eventually turned into action, he says. “I decided to start making meat pies myself.”

The decision was not entirely without preparation. During his time in Sydney, Lu worked at Organic Bread Bar, a popular bakery.

“I got hands-on exposure to how a proper food business operates, from production standards and quality control. This experience gave me a deep appreciation for the craft behind baking.”

Slowly simmering the filling for Creamy Chicken Mushroom Pies. — Picture courtesy of Haus of Pie

Yet he quickly discovered that operating a business alone demanded a very different set of skills: “Then I was part of a team with a system already in place. Here, I am the team.”

On any given day, Lu might be baking, packaging orders, planning deliveries, handling customer enquiries, managing social media campaigns or keeping track of accounts.

Suffice to say, the learning curve has been steep.

He shares, “The skills I had to learn on the fly were mostly on the business side, as I was not in the business industry before starting Haus of Pie. Cooking, running social media ads, managing a customer database, planning delivery routes, pricing for wholesale.”

Still, he finds satisfaction in the constant process of figuring things out.

“But I think that is what makes this journey exciting, every challenge is a lesson and every order that goes out the door is proof that it’s working.”

Baking the pies in the oven. — Picture courtesy of Haus of Pie

Like many first-time founders, Lu expected his biggest concern would be finding customers. Instead, reality arrived in a different form.

“But when orders started coming in — and suddenly the challenge flipped entirely. As a one-man crew, I found myself struggling to keep up. When you’re producing in large quantities on your own, maintaining the same standard in every single pie becomes incredibly difficult.”

Help came from unexpected places.

“What got me through it was the people around me. I’ve also had customers who turned out to be industry chefs, one of them a Michelin-starred chef, who took the time to give me honest, invaluable feedback.”

He adds, “That kind of generosity from people who have no obligation to help means everything to a small business.”

Closer to home, support arrived from family members willing to step in whenever required.

“My mum and my brother were the ones who consistently offered a helping hand whenever I needed it. Haus of Pie is very much a family effort, even if it doesn’t always look that way from the outside.”

A cross section of a Beef Ragu Pie. — Picture courtesy of Haus of Pie

Current offerings include the Creamy Chicken Mushroom Pie (tender chicken chunks and fresh brown mushrooms in a silky cream perfumed with Sarawak black pepper) and Beef Ragu Pie (slow-braised beef in a rich tomato ragù), while a Chicken Rendang Pie has also featured previously.

As with proper Australian meat pies, the fillings are simmered for hours. Then there is the matter of the pastry.

Lu explains, “What makes our pies distinct is the combination of a puff pastry top and a shortcrust base.”

Rather than chasing trends or novelty, he follows a simple rule: “I only make pies that I truly enjoy eating myself.”

The approach, he believes, keeps the food honest. He explains, “If I’m not excited about a pie, I can’t be expecting anyone else to be.”

Lu with Haus of Pie customers. — Picture courtesy of Haus of Pie

Looking ahead, Lu’s ambitions remain focused rather than expansive.

He shares, “My vision is simple. To bring authentic Australian meat pies to as many people in Malaysia as possible.”

For now, Haus of Pie continues to operate as it started — one pie at a time.

Haus of Pie

Web: https://hausofpie.com.my/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/hausofpie_official/