Couple's shop serving up Chicago-style sandwiches is already in line for food awards

A couple from Caerphilly who  recently opened their new business have reflected on their experience of their first major awards earlier this month.

‘Packed’ served up Chicago-style sandwiches to the residents of Llandeilo on Saturday, June 15.

Caerphilly residents Will York, 40, and Claire Colvine, 44, took their new food business to Llandeilo earlier this month to compete in the 2024 Welsh Street Food Awards.

The couple, who live in Hafodyrynys, launched ‘Packed’ in April and were stunned to be selected as finalists for the competition out of more than 3,000 businesses that entered.

The event, hosted by food festival organisers Street Food Circus, took place over the weekend of 15 and 16 June, in the old market place in Llandeilo.

It is the first time the event has been held in the town and the response to it was hugely positive.

The couple’s competition dish was the Italian beef sandwich. Although the dish is famous in its hometown of Chicago, where it was invented over 100 years ago by Italian immigrants, it is relatively unheard of here in the UK.

In their version of the dish, Welsh beef topside is thinly sliced and braised in its own seasoned gravy.

Packed's Italian beef sandwich (Image: Beth Whelan) The tender meat is packed high in a bread roll before the whole sandwich is dunked back in the gravy! The sandwich is finished with either sweet grilled peppers or homemade giardiniera, a traditional Italian vegetable pickle.

Although the couple came home empty-handed, they expressed how amazing it was to have the opportunity to take part, to work alongside some of the best traders in the industry, and to get the word out about their new business.

Owner of Packed, Will York, said: “We had a brilliant weekend in the beautiful town of Llandeilo. We met some awesome people, had a lot of laughs, and received some really amazing feedback on our Italian beef sandwich!

"It’s a big step setting up your own business and we couldn’t have asked for a better start.

"We’ve been blown away by the support we have received - from fellow traders and festival organisers, to the local business networks and services here in Caerphilly, everyone is making a massive effort to help us succeed.

"And a special thank you to the amazing group from Newport who came all the way to support us after seeing us in this paper!”

Packed were competing at the British Street Food Awards for the first time (Image: Packed)

The awards are part of the biggest street food competition in the world and the winners of the Welsh heat, Pasta a Mano and Hills Brecon, will now go on to compete at the grand final in London and then - potentially - go on to represent Wales at the European Street Food Awards grand final in Germany.

Anyone that wants to try an Italian beef sandwich can find Packed at various Street Food Circus events across South Wales. Tickets available at https://streetfoodcircus.co.uk/