Cookoff determines best veal sandwich in Ontario

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For months, the search for Ontario’s best veal sandwich was on. It involved clandestine noshers, mystery taste testers and secret visits to some of the province’s top eateries, where veal cutlet sandwiches rule.

Although the race was tight for Ontario’s Best Veal Sandwich 2024, and dozens of places were in for the count, it came down to a mouth-watering battle between Kingsville’s Mettawas Station Italian Mediterranean Grill and Fabio’s Pizza in St. Catharines.

Just recently, the two eateries came together for a grand finale cook-off hosted by Food Network star John Catucci (who has been a judge since the contest was first launched back in 2016) and a judging panel of culinary heavyweights including chef, restauranteur, and TV personality Claudio Aprile and chef and TV personality Emily Richards along with Jennifer Haley of Ontario Veal Appeal. A mystery judge – picked from the audience – rounded out the panel, who watched as chefs from both restaurants went sauce to cheese over a battle to have their sandwich declared Ontario’s Best Veal Sandwich.

The judges were in for a tough time – both places produced mouth-watering, award-winning sandwiches that everyone chowed down on with gusto. But there could be only one winner, and judges awarded the honour to Mettawas Station, led by Chef Anthony and Janet DelBrocco, for a sandwich that was thick, juicy, brimming with sauce, cheese and homemade love.

Judging was based in part on the tenderness of the veal cutlet, seasoning, the bread used, the freshness of the sauce, and the personality injected into the sandwich by the chefs.

“This was a very tight race,” said Richards afterwards, noting both sandwiches were brimming with juicy flavour and tender meat. “The top two were almost tied.”

They were all winners, added Aprile. “Every sandwich we tried and tested was made with reverence, and reflected the love of family.”

The event proved to be a resounding success, judging by the empty plates left on the judging table: “The restaurants here today and many that participated in the competition are like our farmers – family-run and fiercely proud of what they produce,” said Haley afterwards, adding it was wonderful to honour the “incredible businesses, their owners, and their delicious veal sandwiches.”

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Has the competition grown? “Absolutely!” said Haley. “There is something so unique and comforting about the veal cutlet sandwich and everyone who participated, infused their particular sandwich with a taste of their personal backgrounds – from the sauces to the choice of bread – each sandwich was unique and reflected on the person who created it.”

The Ontario’s Best Veal Sandwich competition began in November 2016 as a way to pay homage to this celebrated sandwich, which first appeared on Ontario tables (or so the story goes) shortly after the Second World War. The sandwich is rich in Italian heritage and is one of the most portable meals one can hold with two hands. Ontario is home to some of the finest restaurants to create this classic.

For John Catucci – who kept the crowds entertained with lively banter and singing while waiting for results – it’s “all about the family, and the love involved. We would visit restaurants where the whole family was there, opening not only their restaurants to us, but their love as well. From grandparents to babies, they just wanted to show what they did best, namely feed people the best food ever. We saw so much pride in ownership.

“It was incredibly touching to see the excitement and the passion everyone who participated in brought to the table,” he said, adding “this was a very Italian thing for me to do!”

The traditional veal cutlet sandwich seems to be the great equalizer among food lovers in Ontario. And everyone has their favourite, be it made in a mother or grandmother’s kitchen, or a beloved food spot.

The “veal parma” sandwich has been a staple as a meal or snack. It’s also been the go-to meal of choice for those coming off the ice after a strenuous game of hockey in the middle of the night. It’s a sandwich that can be shared and there are as many versions as there are stars, but at its core it’s made up of a handful of ingredients: Veal, sauce and bread. Additions include mushrooms, grilled peppers (hot and mild), onions and – depending on your mood – rapini!

What’s in store for the winner? In addition to bragging rights and a nice plaque, Mettawas Station gets to enjoy a custom print ad and extensive publicity as part of a prize package valued at more than $50,000.

For additional details as well as a list of semifinalists, visit Ontariovealappeal.ca/best-veal-sandwich.