LATIN TIMES MAGAZINE - 2019 Summer Edition | Page 12

2019 Cuban Sandwich Festivals
Smoke
Showin
Catering!
LTM: What is your earliest mem-
ory of a Cuban Sandwich?
Smoke Showin’: My parents
serving it at like every party ever.
My mom was sad to move away
from them when we moved out
to Riverview, so she would drive
over to the West Tampa Sand-
wich Shop for them constantly. I
loved the bread; it didn't matter
what was in it as long as it was on
Cuban bread. I didn't really start
taking an interest in what was
inside the Cuban Sandwich until
I was an adult and began to play
around with the ingredients.
Then there was no stopping me.
LTM: How did you learn how to make your
Cuban Sandwich?
Smoke Showin’: We ordered them so much
that we started making them ourselves. And
once I figured out how to make smoked
guava pork, it was all over for me. I had to
make these for everyone I knew.
LTM: Tell us about your business? And your
team?
Smoke Showin’: I started out cooking for
friends and family until they finally insisted
on paying us. My wife has helped me from
the start, and now our team has grown and
is the best and most supportive ever! We at
Smoke Showin’ Catering are the luckiest!
LTM: What makes your Cuban Sandwich
better than most – and maybe the BEST in
your opinion?
Smoke Showin’: I'd tell you, but then I'd
have to kill you!
LTM: Tell us about your experience of com-
peting in the Cuban Sandwich Festival.
Smoke Showin’: First year, we were a total
mess. I remember carrying a giant sandwich
press across Centennial Park because my wife
was so overwhelmed at 36 weeks pregnant
helping me that she just parked and didn't
even try to pull up to our spot for me to un-
load it. We sold out in only a few hours and
admitted we had begun the day with no real
idea of what was in store for us! The people
of Tampa all showed up and wanted their be-
loved Cuban sandwiches. Our next Cuban
sandwich festival was much better, and we
placed for the first time! We even brought our
giant smoker that year and just kept smoking
pork butts for our Cuban sandwich-loving
customers. But the third year, this time was
definitely the charm for us. We assembled a
team of all-star friends and family to serve
in our stead on the first day as we catered a
wedding for a friend. After selling 50 loaves’
worth of sandwiches that day at the Centro
Austuriano, we decided to go big or go home
for the day of the smack down in Centennial
Park. We placed even higher this time and are
coming back for it all next year!
LTM: What did be ing a winner in this con-
test mean to you? And what impact has there
been if any?
Smoke Showin’: Being a winner has given us
the confidence to increase our business and
to take the chance to prepare to serve more
Cuban sandwiches than we could have ever
imagined! It felt like such an honor that peo-
ple were waiting in the longest line we saw
just to place their orders and then hopping in
a whole new line after that just to taste our
Smokin’ Cuban Sandwich & Smokin’ Cuban
Taco they had ordered.
LTM: DO you think you have a chance of win-
ning again at the 2020 Cuban Sandwich Fes-
tival?
Smoke Showin’: Absolutely! Smoke Showin’
is gonna smoke not only our pork, but the
competition as well!