- Owen Han, known for his elaborate chef-level sandwiches, is nicknamed online as the “King of Sandwiches.”
- Han has built a large following thanks to his innovative approach and is the author of Stacked: The Art of the Perfect Sandwich.
- Han combines culinary expertise with accessibility, offering advice on sandwich construction and flavor-building while emphasizing quality ingredients and practical techniques.
A sandwich is a piece of art. Although the typical turkey and cheese numbers you brought in your lunchbox to school may have been simple or packed purely for expediency’s sake, a truly excellent sandwich can be a chef-level dish. And when it comes to people who are taking sandwiches to gourmet heights, you’d be hard pressed to find someone who knows more than Owen Han.
When you scroll through Han’s Instagram or TikTok feeds, you’ll notice one clear theme among the California-based content creator’s videos: he makes a lot of sandwiches. His creations are elaborate: There’s a Korean brisket melt that involves thinly shaving and braising brisket in addition to making his own kimchi butter or a steak au poivre and frites sandwich complete with crispy, homemade fries.
His Instagram bio features two simple emojis: a sandwich and a crown, denoting his common nickname online, the “King of Sandwiches.” If you’re still not convinced, he’s also the author of Stacked: The Art of the Perfect Sandwich, a cookbook that’s filled with more sandwich recipes than you can imagine, along with recipes for other handheld bites like tacos and bao, plus important sandwich accompaniments such as condiments, sides, and breads.
Although a recipe can guide you to make a truly amazing sandwich, the beauty of this food is that it’s often a way to use up what’s in your fridge or personalize something to your tastes. To learn how to make a better sandwich each time, recipe or not, we turned to Han for some of his essential advice.
Yes, there’s a correct way to layer your sandwich
As tempting as it may be to layer your protein, cheese, vegetables, and other toppings on bread in whatever order feels right at the moment, Han points out that there is a strategy for creating a better sandwich structure.
The sandwich expert explains that “I usually start with a base layer of something that won’t soak the bread, like cheese or meat, then layer things like pickles, lettuce, or tomato in the middle, and finish with sauce near the top. Generally, the goal is to keep the structure tight and the base layer of bread dry so it doesn’t fall apart in your hands.”
He also recommends that you shouldn’t pile on too many ingredients, saying “Don’t overload your sandwich just to make it ‘epic.’ Less is usually more if every ingredient is doing its job.” This serves as a helpful reminder that high quality ingredients — like deli meat sliced to order — will make a difference in a simple sandwich.
You might be missing a secret ingredient
If you’ve ever been to a Subway — the largest sandwich chain in the United States — you might be familiar with the optional drizzle of oil and vinegar you can add to a sub, which makes a world of difference in its final flavor.
Although Han’s dishes are on an entirely different level from this fast food chain, the nostalgic taste of vinegar on a Subway sandwich does validate the truth within his next tip, as the content creator emphasizes “Don’t sleep on acid — it’s the secret to cutting through fat and tying everything together. Pickled onions, vinegar, lemon, or even just a quick squeeze of something bright can level up the whole sandwich.”
There are a few simple mistakes you can easily avoid
When it comes to sandwiches, few things are worse than one that immediately falls apart when you pick it up. Han points out that there are a few clear errors that can cause this, like “Too much sauce, not enough texture, and using soft bread that falls apart.”
However, he also says that “Toasting and high-quality bread can fix a lot of those problems,” and he recommends sourdough in particular for its tangy flavor, tendency to toast beautifully, and the chewy structure that can help hold up a sandwich.
There’s one more step you should take to pack as much flavor in a sandwich as possible, and it’s one I often neglect. According to Han, “Seasoning your veggies — like salting tomato slices or dressing your lettuce — makes a huge difference most people forget.”
This doesn’t need to be complicated. As the sandwich expert points out, it could be as simple as a sprinkle of salt. Adding freshly ground black pepper or a light drizzle of olive oil and vinegar — perhaps in an homage to Subway — will seriously upgrade a simple sandwich.
