Worksop hailed UK 'sandwich capital' as two winners scoop prizes at coveted food industry competition

Each year, the country’s top chefs and food product designers go head-to-head, showcasing their innovation and technical skills as they create their idea of the perfect sandwich in the annual British Sandwich and Food to Go Industry Awards.

The event is widely regarded as the Grammys of the sandwich world; a title that has earned the awards ceremony nickname – The Sammies.

Emma Taylor who works as a product development controller at Greencore, one of the UK’s leading producers of convenience foods, wowed judges with her entry in the MSC Cooked and Peeled XL Cold Water Prawn Category.

Named Prawn to be Wild, it combined fresh oriental flavours with avocado, prawns, yuzu mayonnaise and just the right amount of spice fresh all housed on a soft Bao bun.

In fact, the judges were so impressed that Emma was also crowned the overall winner of the competition.

Emma said: “I started at Greencore as a work placement and actually fell in love with sandwiches on my sandwich year, so it’s a real honour to pick up this award. I enter this competition every year and it’s something I’m very passionate about. Scooping the overall winners’ prize is a kind of a dream come true.

“What I love so much about this competition is that it really helps to showcase how food to go has changed and adapted over the years and continues to give developers an outlet to be really creative and have fun with food.”

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Jim Winship, director of The British Sandwich & Food to Go Association said: "Winners are judged on innovation, technical ability and of course, taste, across five sub-categories with one overall winner taking ‘best in show’.

“This year, the standards were extremely high, but we were delighted to award the top accolade to Emma Taylor for her Prawn to be Wild Bao Bun. The judges thought this was a brilliant concept and one to be applauded. It really showcased the product brilliantly.”

Worksop’s second sandwich extraordinaire is Frances Cope, who’s entry into the H. Smith Food Group - Shredded Chicken Category scooped her the winning category prize. Her Naan Chicken Tikka Taco combined vibrant flavours on a homemade naan bread with the judges commenting:

“This was certainly an entry that looked good enough to eat. Colourful, vibrant, and full of flavour. It is especially delightful when served warm on the homemade naan bread.”

Frances said: “This is the first time I have entered the competition, so I’m absolutely thrilled to have won. I’ve always loved food; I have my own food blog where I love to experiment with new flavours and recipes as well as food photography.”

Jim Winship added: “There’s a lot of excitement in the sandwich and food to go sector as commuters and office workers begin to head back into our city centres. Luckily, whether consumers choose to visit a smaller, independent bakery or deli, or one of the larger more well-known players in the market, there is so much creativity on offer in the industry that workers will be spoilt for choice, when they do return.”

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