After Months of Anticipation, Kingsville’s Mettawas Station Crowned Ontario’s Best Veal Sandwich 2024!

After months of passionate debates, secret taste tests, and buzzing social media chatter, Veal Farmers of Ontario (VFO) is delighted to announce that the search for Ontario’s Best Veal Sandwich has finally come to an exciting end! Following a high-stakes, taste-bud-tingling competition, Kingsville’s Mettawas Station Italian Mediterranean Grill has clinched the coveted title of Ontario’s Best Veal Sandwich 2024.

Chef Anthony DelBrocco, a finalist in 2018 and winner in 2022, has once again earned the crown, wowing judges with his signature veal sandwich. He attributes his culinary passion to his mother and grandmothers, whose cooking shaped his love for food from a young age. DelBrocco’s winning sandwich features a house-made tomato sauce and tender Ontario veal, all sourced locally and made with love.

“This was an incredibly close competition,” said John Catucci, Food Network Canada host, who has been a judge since the first contest in 2016. “People always say they’d love to be a judge, but it’s a tough job! Still, it’s probably the most Italian thing I’ve ever done.”

Jennifer Haley, Executive Director of VFO, echoed Catucci’s sentiments. “While Ontario veal is the star and has the most influence on the score, we’re judging everything: the tenderness of the veal cutlet, the seasoning and the breading, the flavour and consistency of the tomato sauce, the freshness of the bun, and the overall eating experience. Each sandwich-maker brings their own unique twist, and picking a winner is never easy.”

A Province-Wide Search with 200+ Mystery Judges!

This year’s competition was more intense than ever, with over 200 Mystery Judges deployed across the province. These undercover foodies were tasked with sampling veal sandwiches from more than 80 participating restaurants. After VFO verified the source of the veal, Mystery Judges visited restaurants, submitted their feedback, and helped narrow down the field. Their scores, combined with online reviews and recommendations, led to the selection of the Top 10 restaurants. The OBVS Judging Team, led by Catucci and Haley, visited the Top 10 with the goal of getting it down to the Top Two. But the competition was so tight that even more Mystery Judges had to be sent out to whittle the list down to just two finalists.

The grand finale took place in front of an enthusiastic crowd of family, friends, and Mystery Judges. All the restaurants that made the Top 10 were recognized, featured in a video that kicked off the competition, and received the audience’s applause and accolades. The event, hosted by John Catucci, featured a judging panel of heavyweights including Chef, Restaurateur, and TV Personality Claudio Aprile; Chef and TV Personality Emily Richards; and Jennifer Haley. One lucky audience member and Mystery Judge Joe D’Alessandro had their name drawn and was invited to join the judging table.

The Final Showdown: Mettawas Station vs. Fabio’s Pizza

In the final showdown, Mettawas Station went up against Fabio’s Pizza from St. Catharines, led by Chef Joanne Sapienza. Chef Sapienza credited her sandwich’s success to the use of tender, local veal, house-made sauce and bread, and top-quality ingredients. But in the end, Mettawas Station came out on top, taking home the title of Ontario’s Best Veal Sandwich 2024.

“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. “It’s been an honour to highlight these incredible businesses, their owners, and their delicious veal sandwiches.”

What’s in Store for the Winner?

In addition to bragging rights and a gleaming plaque, Mettawas Station will enjoy a custom print ad and extensive publicity as part of a prize package valued at over $50,000.

For more mouth-watering details, visit www.bestvealsandwich.ca and follow along on social media to see behind-the-scenes action from the competition!

Read the full news release here.