Undeclared half-eaten footlong subway sandwich cost US$ 1,840
Serendipity 3, a popular East Side restaurant in New York, known for its extravagant and expensive desserts sells the world’s most commercially priced, (expensive) sandwich. It’s a champagne-breaded, gold-flake sprinkled grilled cheese sandwich that costs US$ 214.
Called the Quintessential Grilled Cheese sandwich, it is made with two pieces of French Pullman champagne bread, which is prepared with Dom Perignon champagne and edible gold flakes, with white truffle butter. Sandwiched between them is the Caciocacallo Podolico cheese, which is the main ingredient. It’s a rare cheese imported from southern Italy, where it is made from a very specific milk of just 25,000 cows, which, only lactate for two months a year.
The record setting treat is served with a cup of decadent South African Lobster Tomato Bisque dipping sauce, on a Baccarat Crystal plate. Buying the sandwich requires placing an order 48 hours in advance, since the ingredients are only then imported for prep.
In 2014, health department officials closed the restaurant after it failed its second health inspection in a month. Because and according to health officials, both inspections revealed rodent and fly infestation and conditions conducive to pest infestation, including stagnant water in the basement.
Lesson to be learnt: Luxurious food may give you an emotional lift – but it is never a guarantee that it is always prepared in a safe and hygienic environment.
Now to the story of how a footlong chicken submarine topped with lettuce, became the most expensive sandwich ever.
Jessica Lee flew back to her home country from an idyllic vacation in Greece via Singapore very recently. Whilst at Changi airport, she bought a footlong Subway sandwich, ate ½ of it, put the rest of it away in her bag to eat the later, got on board her flight to Perth and forgot about it - until her bags were checked by airport agents once she landed in Perth.
The 19-year old Aussie teenager who forgot about the half-eaten subway sandwich in her bag, failed to tick the appropriate boxes for’ risk goods’ including food, animal products and plant material on the declaration form. Australia strictly enforces bio-security laws and failure to comply can lead to criminal prosecution, visa cancellation and in Jessica’s case a hefty fine of A$2,664 which is equivalent to US$ 1,840.
Jessica Lee received a notice by mail for the $ 1,840 fine to be paid within 28 days – which made things worse as she had quit her job days before going on holiday.
Lesson to be learnt: If there’s a lesson to be learnt from all of this, it’s to always finish a ‘Footlong’ at one go or in one sitting.
The saga of the half-eaten submarine however had a silver lining for the ‘Subway girl’ as Jessica’s family now calls her. Someone from the international sandwich franchise who saw her pour out her woeful experience on video, reached out to help her by sending her a care package that contained a gift card and special message, "To say thank you for eating fresh, we've uploaded a Sub card with $2,664 dollars just for you," the card read. "We hope this covers all your chicken and lettuce needs."
Hospitality Sri Lanka
|
|
|
|
