We’re just two weeks away from Heritage Day. While South Africans nationwide are getting ready to warm up their braais and roll out the pap, bunny chow and boerewors, there’s one dish that’s been grossly overlooked: the Gatsby.
A staple of Cape Town cuisine, the Gatsby is a large, sub-styled sandwich crammed with either slap chips, polony, masala steak, calamari, eggs, onions or vienna sausages – or a combination of any of these delicious fillings!
Much like Jay Gatsby, the literary character it’s named after, the Gatsby is rich, extravagant and simply great. What’s more, it’s the perfect addition to the Heritage Day celebrations.
A ‘SMASH’: THE HUMBLE ORIGINS OF THE GATSBY
The Gatsby is the brainchild of Rashaad Pandy, who created the dish at his fish-and-chip shop in Cape Town’s Athlone suburb. In 1976, when apartheid was still enforced, Pandy employed some workers to help him renovate a new location in nearby Lansdowne.
To feed them, Pandy put together Portuguese rolls consisting of chips, polony and atchar. He gave them to the workers, one of whom christened and complimented the meal all in one go after eating his share.
“One guy, Froggy… told me, ‘Laanie, it’s a smash, it’s a Gatsby smash!’,” Pandy recalled in an interview with the BBC.
Froggy was most likely referring to the film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel, The Great Gatsby, which starred Robert Redford as the eponymous character and was released two years earlier. Inspired, Pandy latched onto the name immediately.
“You listen to what the customers want,” said Pandy, who began selling the sandwich the very next morning and switched the rolls for French loaves at his customers’ suggestion.
“From there, it just grew. The only thing I needed was a name, and [Froggy] told me it’s a Gatsby smash. All I did was put it on the market and see how it did.”
CAPE TOWN’S FAVOURITE DISH IS POPULAR FOR MANY REASONS
Nearly 50 years after its debut, the Gatsby is beloved by Capetonians. The convenience and satisfaction of this fast food and its variations make it a perfect dish for lunch or supper.
In fact, because it’s usually cut into quarters, it’s suitable for sharing among families of four, with friends or colleagues in the workplace. Any leftover pieces can be eaten the next day, as a main meal or a hangover cure.
The Gatsby is also the definition of “bang for your buck”. Most of these sandwiches range between R50 and R220, depending on your chosen filling. This is well worth the money, given its sheer size.
THE GATSBY FORMS A VITAL PART OF SOUTH AFRICAN CULTURE
While it’s becoming widely sold around the country, most folks will tell you that the best Gatsby is found only in Cape Town. This statement might come across as mere big talk, but it comes from a place of pride and joy.
The Gatsby was born during a time when racial segregation and oppression were rife. Pandy, whose family was subjected to forced removals, created an iconic dish that has since become synonymous with the close-knit Coloured community.
Indeed, generations of families who reside in the Cape Flats have fond memories of flocking to Athlone to pick up their workman’s lunch or order their supper. Social gatherings and community events wouldn’t be the same without any variation of this sumptuous sandwich.
In other words, the Gatsby is a source of pride and evokes a sense of community – qualities that we will be celebrating nationwide on Heritage Day. Wouldn’t that be a smash?
ARE YOU PLANNING TO CELEBRATE HERITAGE DAY WITH A GATSBY?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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