Submissions for New Zealand’s only national toasted sandwich competition, The Great NZ Toastie Takeover, have officially open.
All New Zealand eateries are eligible to place a free entry into the competition, where the winning eatery’s toastie will be crowned the country’s top toasted sandwich.
Entries will close on March 31, with judging beginning from April 14 and the competition finalists revealed on May 31. The supreme winner will be announced on June 20.
Following a huge intake of entries last year, competition organisers Cook & Nelson and McClure’s Pickles will camp entries at 250.
However, other competition rules remain the same. Each creation must be sandwiched between two slices of bread and able to be eaten by hand. The toasted sandwich must also contain cheese, or an acceptable vegan alternative, as well as pickles from McClure’s Pickles range.
Each entry must remain on the establishment’s for the entire duration of the competition during lunch and or dinner hours. Food truck entries will be judged separately on a designated weekend in May, with the entrant required to provide the exact date, time and location details prior to the judging weekend.
All finalists will be required to have their toastie on their menu until June 20, 2023.
The judges will be assessing each entry using a set criteria. This includes effectiveness of preparation technique, eat-ability, provenance, innovation, taste and presentation.
The People’s Choice Award will also return, allowing the public to vote for their favourite participating eatery and toasted sandwich.
Now operating in its sixth year, this popular competition attracted more than 180 entries and served 140,000 toasties during 2022. Finalists hailed from across the country, with local eateries, rural roadside cafes, food trucks, fish farms, breweries, burger bars, artisan food stores, and even a toasted sandwich shop, entering the contest.
Chef Rich Johns, from Rotorua’s Okere Falls Store and Craft Beer Garden, won last year’s title of the country’s top toastie.
“Winning the 2022 Great NZ Toastie Takeover has been a wild ride, going from selling 10-15 toasties a day to more than 60 everyday, with over 10,000 toasties sold since winning. Best of all, we still love making the toastie and seeing the delight on people’s faces upon the first bite,” shared Johns.
For head judge Kerry Tyack, picking out last year’s finalists and supreme winner was difficult due to the incredible innovation present in every creation.
“With the competition heating up and a record number of toasties served up last year, it really feels like the humble toastie has reached the lofty heights of the great Kiwi pie, the whitebait fritter, the perfect pav and the South Island cheese roll,” commented Tyack.
“In 2023, we’re expecting even more delicious and exciting entries, with the Great New Zealand Toastie Takeover now a firm feature on the local foodie calendar and those taking part reporting a notable increase in custom.”
To place an entry into the 2023 Great NZ Toastie takeover, or see the full terms and conditions of the contest, visit toastietakeover.com
