On the heels of its 37th birthday, TooJay's recently added an employee-created sandwich to the menu — just in time for August, which is National Sandwich Month. The Florida-based New York-style deli chain serves 1.5 million 'wiches a year, and its latest option between a loaf of bread is the warm antipasto sandwich.
Leading up to Sandwich Month, the antipasto sandwich — dreamed up by Vernon Hunt of the Lake Mary location — won the inaugural TooJay's recipe contest. Hunt, who's been a cook with the chain for nearly two decades, beat out more than 1,200 employees with his victorious sando, available through Sept. 16 at the 28 TooJay's restaurants across the state.
Ham, salami, provolone, pepperoncini, artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers and Greek olives are featured on the antipasto sandwich. The ingredients are baked on crusty French bread, then topped with melted provolone and balsamic glaze, before they're presented alongside coleslaw and a dill pickle.
Guests can also order the 'wich, which is generous in size, as a salad starter.
"The contest was a fun way to engage our team members and sparked a lot of creativity," according to a statement from TooJay's President and CEO Maxwell Piet. "We are very proud of what Vernon has created for our guests. The best talent and ideas often come from our team members. I look forward to our guests enjoying these delicious recipes."
Locally, TooJay's has locations in downtown Tampa and Sarasota.
This article appears in Aug 2-9, 2018.