ITALY. Global travel restaurateur and retailer Areas is celebrating the success of its ‘Best Healthy Sandwich Challenge’, uniting chefs from around the world to compete for the top sandwich recipe in Pordenone, Italy.
Hosted at Electrolux’s facilities, the international culinary contest brought together talent from Spain, France, Mexico, Italy and the USA, showcasing not only their creativity and technical skill but also their operational expertise in crafting a standout sandwich in limited time.
Joining the competition were chefs Bernat Triquell from Areas Iberia, Stefano d’Agostini from Areas France, Pablo Méndez from Areas USA, Jessica Tavares from Areas Mexico and Michelangelo Citino from Areas Italy.
Their presentations combined current trends in balanced nutrition with flavour and operational efficiency.
The winning creation, ‘The Mediterraneo’, was crafted by Michelangelo Citino. The sandwich featured 100% natural high-hydration bread, chickpea hummus, confit tomatoes, grilled zucchini, sweet-and-sour onions and a hint of fresh mint.
Prepared on a panini press, the winning sandwich combined Mediterranean flavours, nutritional balance and fresh plant-based ingredients in a simple recipe that’s easy to reproduce across the company’s outlets.
‘The Mediterraneo’ will be featured in the Deli&Cia menu, elevating the brand’s line-up of tasty, healthy options for travellers.
The ‘Best Healthy Sandwich Challenge’ reinforces Areas’ focus on culinary innovation, strategic partnerships and promoting internal talent on a global stage.
The initiative strengthens Areas’ value proposition by integrating quality, efficiency and consumer-focused adaptation. 
