NYC bakery joins forces with top chefs for monthly sandwich campaign for charity

One New York City bakery is coming together with some top chefs to create signature, mouth-watering sandwiches — and all for a good cause.

Starting on Tuesday, Amy’s Bread — which specializes in handmade, traditional breads as well as sandwiches and other pastries — has launched the campaign “Chef Sandwiches for Good.”

Through the campaign, Amy’s Bread is partnering with chefs from some of the city’s most popular restaurants to feature monthly specialty sandwiches which will be sold at all of the bakery’s New York City locations and kiosks. A portion of the proceeds from the sales of the sandwiches will go towards different charities — individually selected by each chef.

“We wanted to do something that reaches further than our daily operation,” said Amy Scherber, owner and founder of Amy’s Bread.

Starting this month, the chefs will each create a signature sandwich each month using Amy’s Bread and at least one ingredient from The Pantry by Amy’s Bread — which opened in 2015 in Hell’s Kitchen and features a variety of finely crafted specialty products.

“I’m excited because it’s fun to work with these chefs and their philosophy with these charities and how they approach making these sandwiches,” Scherber said. “This is a way to have fun new things and I think it will be very refreshing for our community.”

The campaign kicked off at Amy’s Bread in Chelsea Market on Tuesday with the launch of The Odeon’s Chef Vincent Nargi’s sandwich called The Dagwood. Diagnosed as a diabetic himself, Nargi selected the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation as his charity.

“Partnering with Amy’s Bread will not only help us raise needed funds to further our goal of creating a world without diabetes, but will help people living with the disease live healthier and longer lives,” said Kristin C. DiFoglio, executive director of JDRF NYC Chapter.

The Dagwood sandwich — which will be available at Amy’s Bread locations in Hell’s Kitchen, Chelsea Market and Greenwich Village all through March — is a multi-layered catchall sandwich using a variety of meats, cheeses and condiments. It is named after Dagwood Bumstead from the comic “Blondie,” who enjoyed making large sandwiches.

Scherber added that it was fun having Nargi launch the campaign because the chef has been working with Amy’s Bread for the past decade and is a really admired customer.

“More than 10 years ago at another restaurant, I used Amy’s Bread for the foundation of my sandwich and was so impressed that they became my supplier,” Nargi said. “Shortly afterward, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Now, the sandwich that started our long lasting friendship is reuniting us to support JDRF, share some memories, and make good food.”

Other chefs who will be teaming up with Amy’s Bread in the upcoming months include Galen Zamarra, David Bouley, Lynn Bound, Alex Guarnaschelli, Anita Lo, Missy Robbins, Bill Telepan and more.

As part of the campaign, Amy’s Bread has also launched an Instagram contest where each week one person will be selected to win a free lunch.

To enter Instagram users must follow @amysbread, take a creative photo of their Dagwood sandwich and tag #ChefSandwichesForGood.

For more information or for store locations, visit amysbread.com.