Seth Ward, the 29-year-old chef at Michael Caines’ restaurant at the Abode Hotel Exeter picked by Délifrance UK to field the British entry for the competition, beat off competition from various countries including Switzerland, Belgium and Lebanon to have his creation named the “Best Sandwich in the World”.
His sandwich, which he called “Rustic Ruby”, consisted of a filling of Red Ruby beef with garlic and parsley butter, celeriac remoulade, mixed leaves and crispy shallots on a new-to-the-market Délifrance Heritage demi baguette.
“Each part of my recipe has a story to tell,” said Ward. “From the traditional fermentation of the Délifrance baguette I used, to the hand reared cows from Exeter – my creation was “home grown” and truly authentic.”
Jim Winship, director of theBritish Sandwich Association, who represented the UK on the international judging panel, said the sandwich was a true representation of cuisine this side of the Channel. “Seth put together a balanced sandwich that not only looked colourful and appealing but tasted delicious. With recipes such as crayfish and rocket becoming bestsellers for sandwiches it shows that the UK consumer is becoming more experimental. The “Rustic Ruby” represents how the British public is prepared to take a risk and experiment with flavours on our doorstep.”
Ward’s prize is an all-inclusive gastronomic weekend for two in Chateau de Mirambeau close to Bordeaux.