Continuing our quest to track down the ultimate room-service snack, John Cadieux, head chef of Goodman Restaurants (the people who brought us Burger & Lobster and the new Beast), shares his spin, which has Norwegian king crab as the star of the show

“I’ve made more Club Sandwiches than you can imagine,” confesses John Cadieux. The Canadian-born chef is head honcho at Goodman Restaurants, which includes Goodman steakhouse, Burger & Lobster and, as of 6 May, Beast, which will specialise in steak and Norwegian king crab.

“I used to work as a chef at the Radisson hotel in Ottawa in the Toulouse Bar,” he continues. “I was alone for the breakfast service, but at lunch we had a guy dedicated to making Club Sandwiches because we were so busy with orders for them. We would usually churn out about 150-200 sandwiches in this time.”

You can’t contest the popularity, but is Cadieux a fan himself?

“Definitely. I eat them when I travel – you associate it with airports and hotel lobbies. But it doesn’t deserve its rep of being bland and boring. When it’s done properly, it’s great. It only becomes problematic when it’s done badly: cheap, white bread has become so ubiquitous and is easy to keep around in a kitchen as a staple for a day or two. But when toasted, it can rip the roof off your mouth. You want something that holds up, like a sourdough – the more it’s toasted, the chewier it gets, and it’s fantastic.”

So how exactly would he give the CS his magic touch?

“My main twist is the protein – everyone has their own interpretation. Some people prefer turkey, while others use grilled chicken breast. I’ve used Norwegian King crab, which is one of the stars of the show at Beast.

“My top tip is seasoning the tomato with salt and fresh cracked pepper. It brings out the juices, and when you bite into it with the bacon, you get that sort of salty, sweet, umami explosion.”

Drool no further, we have the recipe…

The King Crab Club

Serves one

3 slices sourdough bread, drizzled with olive oil and lightly grilled

2tbsp mayonnaise

A drizzle of truffle oil

200g King crab legs

Half an avocado, sliced

2 leaves butter lettuce

3 slices ripe tomato 

Salt and fresh cracked black pepper

Four pieces crispy, smoked bacon

1. Combine the mayonnaise and truffle oil.

2. Smear the mayo on two layers of the grilled bread.

3. Place the crab and avocado on one side of the grilled bread with mayo.

4. Top with the other slice of grilled bread, mayo side up.

5. Next layer on the lettuce and tomato (having seasoned the tomato with salt and pepper).

6. Place the bacon onto the lettuce and tomato, and put the final piece of grilled bread on top.

7. Skewer and cut as desired.

8. Serve with skin-on fries – and enjoy!

“I’m not so sure about finishing it with frills,” he adds, referring to our segment in the March issue of The Club. “It’s a little bit dated and food has to evolve.”

What do you think? To frill or not to frill? Or have you encountered a Club Sandwich that deserves to be put in the spotlight. Let us know!

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This article has been tagged Food + Drink, Opinion