BREAD 9 Build a perfect sandwich


Chef Max Halley became so obsessed with sandwiches, he opened a restaurant in north London dedicated to them. It’s called Max’s


Sandwich Shop (he’s also written a book, Max’s Sandwich Book) and his are no ordinary sarnies. Take The Korean Gangster, for instance, which combines soy- and vinegar- braised mutton with two types of deep-fried noodle, baby gem lettuce, coriander, parsley, kimchi, kraut, doenjang and gochujang. As you might expect, Max has rules; here’s his guide to sandwich perfection.


THE BREAD “Crust is crucial. The best bread for sandwiches has crust everywhere. We make our own plain foccacia because it has crust all over, but you can use ciabatta rolls. Run them under the tap until they’re really wet, then put them in a hot oven for maximum crustiness. If you’re using bread to add flavour, you’re not making good enough sandwiches. It’s just a vessel — a plate. Sourdough is no good because it’s full of holes, falls apart and rips, leaving you with mayo over your fingers.”


THE FILLING “I have a mantra for every sandwich’s filling: ‘hot, cold, sweet, sour, crunchy, soft’. You don’t necessarily need six separate things to achieve this balance. A gherkin,


for instance, is two things. But every bite needs all these factors in an equal ratio.”


THE CONDIMENTS “Mayo is the sandwich condiment god. First, quadruple the amount you think acceptable (if not mayo, use whatever emulsified fat you want, such as sour cream). Second, mix your condiments with that mayo. Think of a sausage sandwich: you’ve buttered the bottom, added the sausage and now you want mustard — but you can’t spread the top evenly because you’d get pockets. If you mix the mustard with the mayo instead, you get a juicier sandwich and a more even, controllable layer of condiment.”


THE TEXTURE “My sandwiches contain deep-fried elements for added crunch, like noodles, crisps or croutons (and they said you couldn’t put bread in a sandwich!).”


THE BRILLIANCE “What makes the sandwich so great, and the reason I’m never bored of it, is that as long as it’s between two bits of bread, the whole world’s cuisine is open to you. I was putting samosas in sandwiches the other day.” maxssandwichshop.com


Left: Irish soda bread


Right: The Korean


Gangster sandwich from Max’s


Sandwich Shop


NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.CO.UK/FOOD-TRAVEL


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IMAGES: GETTY; HOWARD SHOOTER


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