Italian chef Michelangelo Citino wins first prize with his creation “The Mediterraneo”, which will be added to the brand’s offering
Barcelona, March 4th, 2026.
Areas, a global leader in food & beverage and travel retail, has held the ‘Best Healthy Sandwich Challenge’ at Electrolux Professional’s facilities in Pordenone, Italy. The international culinary challenge brought together several chefs from Areas teams across different countries: Spain, France, Mexico, Italy and the United States.
The event, held in Electrolux Professional’s kitchens, tested the creativity, technical skills and operational capabilities of the participants, who had to prepare an original healthy hot sandwich recipe within a limited time.
The participating chefs were 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. Each of them presented a proposal aligned with current trends in balanced nutrition, flavour and operational efficiency.
Following the jury’s deliberation, the winning sandwich was “The Mediterraneo”, created by Italian chef Michelangelo Citino. The proposal, made with 100% natural high-hydration bread, chickpea hummus, confit tomatoes, grilled zucchini, sweet and sour onion and a touch of fresh mint, stood out for its nutritional balance and Mediterranean profile. Prepared on a Panini Press, the sandwich combines plant-based ingredients and fresh flavours in a simple, tasty recipe that can be easily reproduced across the company’s outlets.
“The Mediterraneo” will become part of the Deli&Cia offering, strengthening the brand’s positioning with tasty and healthy alternatives designed for travellers.
The ‘Best Healthy Sandwich Challenge’ reflects Areas’ commitment to gastronomic innovation, collaboration with strategic partners such as Electrolux Professional and Europastry, and the promotion of internal talent at an international level. Initiatives like this allow the company to continue evolving its value proposition by combining quality, efficiency and adaptation to new consumer demands.