Wawa Hoagie Day to Feature Six-Ton Sandwich
PHILADELPHIA — Wawa Inc. is gearing up for its biggest ever Hoagie Day Celebration on June 30th, reported Philadelphia Eater. Celebrity Chef Robert Irvine, of the Food Network and "Restaurant Impossible," is returning to help build a six-ton hoagie with the assistance of 250 Wawa chefs.
The annual tradition brings regional hoagie fans to Philadelphia's Independence Visitor Center Lawn to celebrate the "official sandwich of Philadelphia," as declared by former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell during the 1992 Hoagie Day festivities. Hoagie Day is part of the city's Wawa Welcome America! festival.
The recipe for the six-ton hoagie includes:
- 23,000 shorti rolls weighing a collective 2,705 pounds
- 902 pounds of Italian ham
- 902 pounds of prosciuttini
- 902 pounds of Genoa salami
- 1,602 pounds of provolone cheese
- 2,318 pounds of sliced tomatoes
- 1,442 pounds of sliced onions
- 1,351 pounds of shredded iceberg lettuce
- 76 gallons of oil
- 126 pounds of oregano
- A "HUGE" dash of salt and pepper
The hoagie, which will also require 274 pounds of hoagie wrap, will be served to more than 20,000 attendees in less than one hour.
This year's event kicks off with a salute to military service men and women, firefighters and police officers that includes a hoagie march by military heroes and reenactors. Additionally, in recognition of the Liberty United Service Organization's 75th anniversary, 75 volunteers will be honored for their service to military members and their families.
Hoagie Day also features the annual "Hoagies for Heroes" contest in which Philadelphia firefighters, police and members of the Air and Army National Guard compete in a hoagie-building contest for charity.
Pennsylvania-based Wawa operates more than 690 convenience stores, including 420 offering gasoline, in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Florida.