Meet Lee from Milton Keynes, who could be crowned maker of the best sandwich in Britain

A Milton Keynes-based sandwich designer is a finalist in an annual quest to find Britain’s best sandwich maker.

Lee Williamson, who works at Gosh Foods in Kingston, entered his creation in The Sammies awards, which are the Grammys of the sandwich world.

Organised by the The Sandwich & Food to Go industry, the contest invites sandwich professionals from across the UK to enter by creating an innovative sandwich or food to go dish.

They have to use a sponsor’s ingredient as the key element, together with any other ingredients of their choice. The 2024 competition includes five categories sponsored by Futura Foods, Mona Dairy, H. Smith Food Group, Cottage Delight and JDM Food Group.

Lee, a development chef, earned his place in the final thanks to his original, mouth-watering creation, the Toasted Club with Torchon Ham.

Torchon ham is covered with a cloth (“torchon” in French), and braised in a vegetables and spiced bouillon to give it special and distinctive taste.

Lee’s sandwich also features mayonnaise and Cottage Delight’s Spiced Tomato and Caramelised Onion Chutney on crunchy sourdough bread.

He and the other finalists will create their sandwiches live this Thursday, May 9, at the Royal Lancaster, London, in front of the watchful eye of leading experts, including celebrity chef Theo Randall.

They will go head-to-head to create the best-tasting, best-looking and most innovative sandwich in each category.

Jim Winship, director of the British Sandwich & Food to Go Association said: “Year after year we are delighted to see such innovative and exciting entries to the competition – it truly is a display of the exceptional creativity in the food to go industry and the enduring popularity of the sandwich as the ultimate food to go! The designers always come up with new flavour combinations which tantalise the tastebuds and the entry from Lee is just that!”

Lee said: “I am so excited to take part in the final of the Sandwich & Food to Go Designer of the Year competition. My tasty Toasted Club with Torchon Ham is a unique twist on a sandwich which is much loved – both nationwide and around the world. I really hope the judges love it as much as I do!”