While New Zealanders may refer to them as toasties, there is no denying that the country loves a good grilled cheese sandwich. April 12th is, in fact, international grilled cheese day.
Fred’s Sandwiches, a Wellington cafe, are marking the celebration with delivery available only on Door Dash.
Owner Harry McArthur and partner Victoria opened Fred’s in Wellington right in the midst of Covid. While they admit that ignorance was bliss in terms of understanding the realities of the industry during the pandemic, Harry credits fantastic local support from Wellingtonians as the key to Fred’s success.
Almost a year and a half later, people are flocking to Fred’s Cuba Street hotspot to try their self-described ‘over the top’ sandwiches, stacked with local made ingredients and the perfect combination of spices. Fred’s takes the grilled cheese to a new level with popular favourites like their panko crumbed chicken and romesco and buffalo mozzarella, making it the go-to lunch fix for the outlet’s avid followers.
McArthur said that the secret to making the best grilled cheese sandwich is to cook it on low heat.
“You can’t rush the grill,” said McArthur.
“Our top tips are cramming a sandwich with good quality ingredients and then making sure you’ve always got some umami in any sandwich, a bit of sweet and a bit of salt.”
If you don’t live in the city or have a city shopping trip planned, never fear, because thanks to online delivery service DoorDash Fred’s can now satisfy people’s cravings further afield. They’ve found that toasties travel well across the Wellington region and credit delivery as a key way they’ve been able to spread the toastie joy and keep grilling sandwiches throughout the uncertain times hospitality has experienced during the pandemic.
"At DoorDash, we know how important it is to help local eateries connect with their communities and neighbourhoods. We've been delighted to help Wellington eateries like Fred's do that for almost a year now," said Rebecca Burrows, DoorDash General Manager New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
