Hellmann's® Mayonnaise - the Ultimate Sandwich Staple - Sponsors Showdown to Crown First-Ever 'Sandwich King' at Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J., Oct. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Everyone knows the best ingredient to go into a sandwich is love, which is why at the third annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival, Hellmann's® will sponsor an event that gives foodies a chance to share a sandwich made with love – as well as their love of sandwiches – at "Breville's Ultimate Sandwich Showdown presented by Hellmann's® with Tyler Florence."

Guests of the Sandwich Showdown will crown the Festival's first-ever "Sandwich King" in a competition among some of New York City's sandwich experts: BaoHaus, Blue Ribbon Restaurants, Blue Smoke Bake Shop, DOB 111, 'ino, No. 7 Sub, Porchetta, Resto, Fort Defiance, The Lobster Place, and Zampa. The Sandwich Showdown will be held on October 10, 2010 from 12pm-2pm in the DeBragga and Spitler Courtyard in Manhattan's Meatpacking District.  

Hellmann's® is joining these celebrated sandwich establishments by offering festival-goers the opportunity to channel their inner chef at the Hellmann's® Sandwich and Mayo Mixology Bar, where they can create custom mayo mixes to make America's sandwich classics even better.  Guests will have their choice of four out of the five most popular sandwich types in America* and will then be invited to create a customized mayo spread by mixing herbs and spices with delicious Hellmann's® Real Mayonnaise.  

"We're proud to kick off the first annual 'Ultimate Sandwich Showdown' with the support of our fantastic partners, including Hellmann's® Mayonnaise," says Festival Founder and Director Lee Brian Schrager. "This event appeals to 'foodies' on every culinary level because sandwiches are great, versatile meal options that everyone loves."

Aside from the Sandwich and Mayo Mixology Bar, guests have an opportunity to share their Festival fun with friends and family at Hellmann's® "Spread the Love" photo station, where they can take their photo and post them online through Facebook.com/Hellmanns.  

"This event is such a perfect fit for us because we know that one of the ways people show their love is by making sandwiches for one another. Hellmann's® just helps to make any sandwich taste great and we're made with real, simple ingredients like eggs, oil and vinegar," says Hellmann's® senior brand manager Melissa Weingarten. "We're thrilled to participate in this new event in partnership with the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival.  We're also delighted that guests have an opportunity to customize their own mayonnaise creations with Hellmann's® Real Mayonnaise or try some of our new spread recipes on Hellmanns.com."

The third annual Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival boasts a line-up of wine and culinary talent features chefs, winemakers, television personalities, and mixologists of an unprecedented caliber.  As in years past, 100% of the net proceeds from the weekend will benefit the hunger relief organizations Food Bank For New York City and Share Our Strength®.  

Visit Hellmanns.com to check out the new sandwich spread recipes, or visit Facebook.com/Hellmanns for more information and updates.

About Unilever North America

Unilever works to create a better future every day.  We help people feel good, look good and get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others.  Each day, around the world, we serve over two billion consumers. In the United States, Canada and the Greater Caribbean (Trinidad & Tobago, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico) the portfolio includes brand icons such as: Axe, Becel, Ben & Jerry's, Bertolli, Blue Band, Breyers, Caress, Country Crock, Degree, Dove personal care products, Hellmann's, Klondike, Knorr, Lipton, Omo, Popsicle, Promise, Q-Tips, Skippy, Slim-Fast, Suave, Sunsilk and Vaseline. All of the preceding brand names are registered trademarks of the Unilever Group of Companies. Dedicated to serving consumers and the communities where we live, work and play, Unilever employs more than 13,000 people across North America – generating nearly $10 billion in sales in 2009.  For more information, visit www.unileverusa.com, www.unilever.ca, or www.unilevercaribbean.com.  

*Source: The NPD Group/National Eating Trends/Individual In-Home Database

SOURCE Unilever