Havana 1957 Wins: Best Sandwiches of America

This seems to the year of Latin influences in the sandwich category restaurant menus, Latin connecting with innovation & creativity.

Without a doubt, Restaurant Hospitality’s Best Sandwiches annual competition is one of the most expected, where independent operators have the opportunity to submit their sandwich candidates. RH’s editors evaluate based on looks, description, uniqueness notes & ingredients. Editors spot the trends across the nation and select the winners in America, a slideshow that every chef gets to look at for one year when they need inspiration for their menus. 

One of the notable trends for 2022 is the Latino influences that mix Cuban with Mexican or Brazilian, like Havana 1957, Chef Yunior Perez, one of  the winners and editorial mentions of the year.

Chef Yunior, born and raised in Havana, Cuba where he went to culinary school, moved to Miami in 2015 & joined VE Restaurant Group with the Havana 1957 concept in 2018. Promoted to Sous Chef in only two months on the job, he is now the Executive Chef in South Beach, at the Hotel Breakwater location in Miami Beach. 

Chef Yunior’s mantra: Elige un trabajo que te guste y no tendras que trabajar ni un dia en tu vida” aka Get a job that you love so you dont have to work a single day in your life”.
When you love your work, it does not feel like working at all.

For the head turning El Guapo aka The handsome , Yunior’s inspiration are Latin America roots, flavors, culture & Cuban Sandwich, the famous sandwich with a wikipedia entry. “I have to specially thank Chef Juan Luis Rosales, Concept Chef Havana 1957 & Corporate Chef Alex Medina for their support & expertise when creating El Guapo” – said Chef Perez.

The Cubano-style sandwich El Guapo, proud with flavors from Latin America, has roasted picanha beef, cream cheese chimichurri sauce, guacamole and roasted tomatoes pressed in Cuban bread topped with butter.

Find Best Sandwiches of America in 2022 HERE.

 

By. E. Machado