You may think you make the best lasagne in your family, but what about in your street?

Neighbours in Perth’s southern suburbs have been dedicated to finding that out for decades, through an annual lasagne-making competition that shuts down the entire street.

The annual competition resumed in South Fremantle this year having paused in 2024. (ABC News: Grace Burmas)

The Lilly Street lasagne bake-off in South Fremantle has been running since 1998.

In between snarky comments and hours spent over the stove refining recipes, it is a tradition as strong as the community that preserves it.

The inception

Former winner Jenny Baker is the self-proclaimed queen of lasagne. (ABC News: Grace Burmas)

It all started when two neighbours on Lilly Street wanted to know who made the better lasagne, so the pair recruited their other neighbour, Jenny Baker, to be the judge.

“I just said, a bit tongue in cheek, ‘Oh, they’re fine, but I make a far better one,'” Ms Baker said.

“They were like don’t be ridiculous, this is the best meal we can make, and I said well bad luck, this is not good enough.”

And just like that, a rivalry was born, with Ms Baker as its self-proclaimed matriarch.

People come from all over Perth to bring their own recipes to the judges. (ABC News: Grace Burmas)

That year, in 1998, nine neighbours closed off the street to eat each other’s lasagne — competitively.

“I won that year,” Ms Baker said.

“And there was great rumour up and down the street that I’d done favours for the judge, but I hadn’t. There was no money involved.”

The big day feels like being in Italy

Close your eyes and you would swear you were in Europe. (ABC News: Grace Burmas)

You would be right to think you have been teleported to Italy for the day when the lasagne bake-off is underway.

Residents and their loved ones line the bitumen with gazebos, trestle tables and camp chairs hosting lasagne, wine, and people young and old.

Ms Baker stands on a podium out the front of her home flashing her black and white checked bra, to signify the official start of the competition.

Four lasagne connoisseurs sit upon her balcony, blind tasting about 60 container-sized slices, scoring them on taste, look and structure.

It’s not easy impressing the judges who taste more than 60 lasagnes. (ABC News: Grace Burmas)

“We have some very traditional Italians living on the street, so we have a very high standard of criticism, which is good, it keeps us honest, hopefully,” judge Sarah Giambazi said.

Meanwhile, competitors deliberate on who might take home the coveted baking tray trophy.

Longtime Lilly Street resident Melinda Blagaich has been perfecting her recipe for 25 years and had entered every year to no avail.

“It’s never going to be my year,” she said.

After 25 years without success, local resident Melinda Blagaich broke through in 2025. (ABC News: Grace Burmas)

That’s until Ms Baker got on the microphone to deliver the long-awaited verdict.

“Now … you are not going to believe this, f**king Melinda won,” she yelled.

“Someone get the defibrillator!”

The crowd roared while Ms Blagaich made her way up to the podium, clutching her trophy.

“Melinda why are we so excited?” Ms Baker said into the microphone.

“Because I’m always second!” she said.

The hiatus and the emotional return

Jenny Baker lost “the ringmaster” of the Lilly Street bake-off two years ago. (ABC News: Grace Burmas)

This year was a little extra special because it marked the return of the beloved event.

Two years ago, Ms Baker’s husband, Paul, passed away, and for the first time in 25 years the competition stopped.

“He lived for lasagne day, he was the ringmaster of the whole day,” she said.

“I didn’t feel like it was ready to die with Paul. It was very much alive, and people were connected by the bake-off.

“He never left a set of instructions … but we’ve just winged it, and I think he’d be proud of what we’ve done.”

A judge gets down to the serious business of tasting one of the entries. (ABC News: Grace Burmas)

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