A Sandwich Worth Remembering
Anthony Bourdain wasn’t just a chef — he was a storyteller. He celebrated food that was honest, soulful, and deeply rooted in culture. And when it came to sandwiches, few matched his love for a classic: mortadella, provolone, and mustard on soft bread. No microgreens. No aioli. Just salty meat, sharp cheese, and simplicity done perfectly. The Bourdain Sandwich.
The mortadella sandwich wasn’t fancy — and that was the point. In Rome, in New York delis, and across Europe, mortadella on fresh bread has always been a working-class staple. Bourdain praised it for what it was: comfort food that didn’t need permission to be great.
Why Bourdain Loved Mortadella
Mortadella is often misunderstood in the U.S. — too many people think of it as “fancy bologna,” but the real thing is buttery, aromatic, and speckled with fat and spice. Paired with provolone and a swipe of mustard or dijon, it’s salty, tangy, and rich in a way that hits deep. Bourdain didn’t care about flash — he cared about balance, nostalgia, and bold flavor without the BS.
The sandwich he loved didn’t try to be gourmet. It just was. And that’s exactly the energy we’re channeling with The Bourdain at Little Jaye Bakery.
How Little Jaye Is Bringing It Back
At Little Jaye, we’re all about real ingredients, great bread, and neighborhood food with backbone. The Bourdain sandwich is back on our menu, and it’s everything it should be: thin-sliced mortadella, melted provolone, dijon, mayo, and a house-made brioche bun that’s soft enough to collapse under your first bite.
Want to take it to the next level? Add an egg. Seriously — the yolk, the cheese, the mortadella… it’s brunch without the nonsense.
We’re not reinventing anything. We’re just serving a great sandwich that deserves its spotlight — one that Bourdain would probably nod at, bite into, and say, “Yeah, this’ll do.”