A South African restaurant in Cape Town has recently made headlines with its latest culinary creation: a 3-meter-long (9.8 feet) sandwich. This massive submarine sandwich, produced by Annies Ladies Bar, follows the restaurant’s tradition of supersized offerings, including a 124-kilogram (273-pound) burger in 2019.
The sandwich, weighing in at an impressive 65.27 kilograms (145 pounds), features 10 layers of fillings. It took over four hours to prepare and cost about $160 in ingredients. Joe Redelinghuys, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife Annie, spearheaded the project.
Ingredients included 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) of tomatoes, approximately 20 kilograms (44 pounds) of various meats (including sliced sausage, steak, burger patties, and chicken fillets), 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of french fries, a layer of calamari, and a topping of onion rings. The sandwich was held together with sauces such as garlic, cheese, pepper, mushroom, and tartare.
One of the biggest challenges was sourcing a suitable bread roll. Redelinghuys had to have three 1-meter (3 feet) rolls specially baked and joined together to accommodate the enormous sandwich.
This gigantic creation was inspired by the Gatsby, a renowned South African takeaway meal. Typically made with “slap chips” (sloppy french fries) and meat in a chunky bread roll, the Gatsby has its roots in Cape Town in the mid-1970s. Traditionally served big enough to feed multiple people, the Gatsby was named after the movie “The Great Gatsby,” which had just hit cinemas at the time.
Redelinghuys revealed that the idea for the massive sandwich came about during a conversation at the bar. “So, I said next Saturday I’m going to make the biggest Gatsby in South Africa,” he recalled.
Dubbed “The Greatest Gatsby,” the sandwich is in the process of being recognized by South African record officials as the country’s biggest Gatsby sandwich. While it doesn’t hold a world record—the title for the largest sandwich belongs to a grill in Roseville, Michigan, for a 2,467-kilogram (5,440-pound) sandwich in 2005—this colossal Gatsby has certainly made its mark.
After its creation, the sandwich was offered to regulars at Annies to share as a snack, feeding approximately 140 people. “We invited a lot of our regular clients (to come and eat the sandwich),” Redelinghuys said. “And they invited friends. And their friends invited friends.”
This supersized Gatsby is a testament to the creativity and community spirit at Annies Ladies Bar, showcasing the rich and diverse flavors of African cuisine.
- Tags: Annies Ladies Bar, food, Restaurant
