Taste the World, Taste the Campus
Rutgers Student Contest to Recreate the Fat Sandwich
Rutgers University is the birthplace of the iconic fat sandwich—a greasy tradition that is one of the university’s “unofficial” points of pride.
The fat sandwich appeared on the fast food scene in the late 1970s and has remained a Rutgers fixture ever since. The original fat sandwich was the “Fat Cat,” made up of a double cheeseburger, fries, lettuce, tomato, mayonnaise and ketchup, all on a bun.
Now, over 40 years later, we're inviting YOU to re-imagine the fat sandwich as we know it. Be creative and submit your recipes!
Submissions are due Monday, September 28. Winners will be announced on October 16 in celebration of World Food Day.
See below for full contest rules and eligibility.
This contest is sponsored by Rutgers Global, Rutgers School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Cultural Center Collaborative, and Rutgers Dining Services.
Contest Rules
Submission Guidelines & Submit Your Sandwich Here +
Visit go.rutgers.edu/fat-sandwich during the Contest Period and follow the instructions to complete and submit the entry form. You must include at least one original recipe (“Submission”) per submission. All Submissions must be original: while students are encouraged to adapt recipes they already know, they are not allowed to submit a recipe created by someone else. Students are encouraged to use ingredients and grocery items they may already have at home to create their Submission. Students must not spend more than $20 total (for a single sandwich) on ingredients and grocery items to create their Submission. We welcome Submissions that are savory, sweet, and/or a combination of both. Students are allowed to enter one Submission per category, for a maximum of four Submissions in the four separate categories. However, students will be eligible to be selected as a Winner/Honorable Mention only once for the entire contest.
Contest Categories
• Healthy Interpretation
• Cultural Interpretation
• $5 or Less Budget
• Quarantine Sandwich
Submission Materials
• Name of Recipe
• Ingredients and Instructions
• Description
• A video of you preparing and making your sandwich and/or a photo of your fully assembled sandwich
Evaluation Criteria
• Originality
• Taste
• Presentation
• Budget
Contest Period +
The contest begins on Tuesday, September 1 and ends on Monday, September 28, 11:59 p.m. EST, when all entries must be received (“Contest Period”). Winners will be announced on October 16 in celebration of World Food Day.
Eligibility +
The contest is open only to current undergraduate, graduate, and professional students of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (New Brunswick, Newark, Camden, and RBHS). All contest entrants and winners will be required to confirm their student status.
Selection Process, Prizes, and Notification +
All submissions will be judged by a panel of judges comprised of Rutgers faculty and staff, worth 75% of each Submission’s total score. In addition, recipe photos and videos will be posted to the Rutgers Global Facebook page. Post engagement (likes) will be worth 25% of each submission’s total score.
The judges panel will score Submissions based on the following criteria: Originality (25%); Taste (25%); Presentation (25%); and Budget (25%). One Winner and two Honorable Mentions will be selected in each of the four categories: Healthy Interpretation; Cultural Interpretation; $5 or Less Budget; and Quarantine Sandwich.
Each Winner will receive a $50 VISA gift card; and each Honorable Mention will receive a $25 VISA gift card.
Winners and Honorable Mentions will be announced on World Food Day on October 16.