Brown said it was a “tough job” selecting just five finalists because the standard was so high.
“A really good sandwich doesn’t need to be overly complicated or fancy. Good ingredients, great bread, thinking about texture as well as flavour, and not being shy on the condiments.
“Our finalists have all nailed it, and I’m excited to see which sandwich takes the win,” Brown said.
The New Zealand public can now head to freyas.co.nz to see the finalist recipes and vote to crown the winner.
The winner will receive $5000 in cash and a year’s supply of Freya’s bread.
Their sandwich will also be served on the Federal Delicatessen menu for one month.
‘The Regal Luxe’
Keeva Ross described “The Regal Luxe” recipe as a heartfelt tribute to their grandmother.
“She was a real lady with a deep appreciation for the finer things, especially high tea and smoked salmon.
“This sandwich takes the essence of those elegant afternoon tea finger sandwiches and reimagines them into a lush, modern lunchtime masterpiece,” Ross said.
The Regal Luxe starts with two slices of Freya’s Roggenbrot Dark Rye bread and is filled with premium hot-smoked salmon and a perfectly ripe avocado.
The sandwich is also spread with a velvety cream cheese.
Finally, a “generous tangle” of crisp, quick-pickled cucumber ribbons are added to cut through the richness.
The Regal Luxe.
‘Kiwi As Kitchen’
Mark Porter described the star of his sandwich as corned beef, slow-cooked in L&P.
“My grandmother, and then my mother, had always made their corned beef using ginger ale, so one day I decided to use L&P, and it was so good I’ve done it ever since,” he said.
The “proper homemade Kiwi sandwich” is made with corned beef, slow-cooked in L&P until tender and tangy, and Mello Yella Mustard Mayo.
Porter then added his mother-in-law’s homemade beetroot relish for the perfect sweet-and-savoury balance.
Finally, he added creamy aged cheddar, crispy fried shallots and peppery baby rocket to add richness, crunch and freshness.
All the fillings are tucked between two soft slices of Freya’s Swiss Soya Linseed bread.
Kiwi As Kitchen.
‘Summer in a Sandwich’
Louise Pilkington said her inspiration came from family summers at the bach.
“Every summer, my husband, daughter, our friends and family all gather there, and there’s always a Christmas ham.
“My husband’s mum would always bring the ham – she’s not with us anymore, so this sandwich is a bit special to us in remembering her,” Pilkington said.
The sandwich between two slices of Freya’s bread is filled with Christmas ham and curried egg, which Pilkington said was an old family tradition from her husband’s mum, Anne.
Then crisp iceberg lettuce, tomato chutney, Al Brown’s mustard and Kewpie mayonnaise are added.
Swiss cheese and pickles also make the cut, as they are favourites of her daughter and mum.
Summer in a Sandwich.
‘Relish the Crunch Triple-Decker’
Kaiden Ross said he wanted to create a sandwich inspired by a classic Kiwi summer picnic, combined with the pastrami sandwiches he fell in love with while visiting the USA.
This sandwich is a towering, “three-tier deli masterpiece” structured between three slices of Freya’s Lower Carb Soya Linseed bread.
Ross said the first layer was stacked high with Dijon mustard, thinly sliced pastrami and Swiss cheese.
It was also layered with crisp, zesty slaw and a sweet-and-tangy Anathoth beetroot chutney.
Ross said the next layer is salty potato chips and a Kiwi onion-reduced cream dip.
Finally, a pickle-topped skewer holds the structure together.
Relish the Crunch Triple-Decker.
‘The Gentleman Farmer’
After growing up on farms, Richard Rooney said his sandwich was a Kiwi farmhouse favourite.
The sandwich uses Freya’s Tuscan Mixed Grain bread.
It is filled with horseradish and rare roast beef cold cut, paired with thin-sliced Peckham pear from the orchard for sweetness.
Rooney said he adds creamy blue cheese for depth, spread straight onto the bread.
The sandwich is completed with thick-cut salt and vinegar chips for crunch and zest.
The Gentleman Farmer.