The Annual Cuban Sandwich Throwdown invites chefs from the island’s top restaurants to serve the dish that thousands of visitors and locals order every year. In the process, the competition might just nudge eaters closer to answering one of the most asked questions. Who makes the best Cuban sandwich?
The contest, hosted at the Green Parrot Bar and created by Frita’s Cuban Burger Café’s owner Marcia Weaver, will also serve as a benefit for the nonprofit Sigsbee Charter School as they raise funds for a new playground.
Putting on an event like this is not something Weaver takes for granted even as it approaches its fifth year.
“It’s been a tough year and I can understand that,” she acknowledged. “I just hope that everybody’s on board and I hope that we can work with everybody and figure out a way to keep this going. I think it’s part of Key West. It’s become really popular. Everybody loves it and they look forward to it every year. And I hope that we can get the same excitement from participating restaurants.”
The event offers several categories for restaurants to demonstrate excellence, even facilitating the question of how traditional entries need to be. The judging panel, typically a mix of local celebrities, votes for their favorites (in blind tastings) for both a traditional and non-traditional category. Restaurants, food trucks, and even solo chefs are all welcome to participate. The public, meanwhile, casts its votes separately for the most popular choices. And emcee Qmitch steers the proceedings.
In this way, the event avoids unintentionally codifying one version of the sandwich as the most correct. Although when you consider who consistently ranks in the same categories year after year, it’s hard to ignore that spots like Sandy’s Cafe, Frita’s, Kaya Island Eats, and even hotels like La Concha have a knack for flavors.
In addition to these bigger names is the slate of independent chefs, who enter into their own category. Weaver is grateful for the few corporate spots that compete alongside the solid base of family-run eateries during a time when she believes restaurants are particularly shorthanded.
But you do not have to be obsessed with the star attraction (sandwiches in this case) to enjoy the novelty of this gathering. Attendees can expect a live human slot machine, a performance by The Mutant Ninja Turtle Mariachi Band, and the chance to bid to become a judge.
As Weaver keeps her dream alive of bringing cuisine with a cause from her restaurant and many others to the public, she continues to consider surprises that could elevate the throwdown. At the top of her wish list? As a former longtime resident of Massachusetts, she would love to have foodie and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy be a celebrity judge. A reunion of sorts since Weaver rolled cigars at his wedding. As she jokingly put it, “... enough with the pizza. It’s time for the Cuban sandwich!”
Cuban Sandwich Throwdown
APRIL 25 | 12 p.m.
Green Parrot Bar
FritasCubanBurgers.com
