The Annual Journal
What began as a Saturday morning at the Travelers Rest Farmers Market has grown into a summer tradition filled with recipes, ribbons, customers, partners, kids, volunteers, and nearly one thousand handcrafted sandwiches each year.
Spectators and voters.
Rookie of the Year.
Spirit Award.
The next chapter.
The First Bite
Before we ever made a tomato sandwich, we stood in line to taste one.
Before there were aprons, sponsors, recipes, awards, or nearly one thousand sandwiches, we were simply guests.
In the summer of 2023, Jerry brought Lexie and the kids to the Travelers Rest Tomato Sandwich Taste-Off. We sampled the sandwiches, cast our votes, wandered the market, and fell in love with one of Travelers Rest’s favorite summer traditions.
By the end of the day, one idea stayed with us: what if we competed next year?
2023: attending as spectators before the tradition began.
The original 2024 team — first year competing.
The Leap of Faith
Sometimes the best traditions begin because someone simply says yes.
A year after attending as spectators, the unexpected call came. A competing restaurant had withdrawn just days before the event, and the organizers needed someone to step in.
Jerry said yes.
There was only one problem: we were not chefs. We were a small group of technology professionals, family, and friends with only a few days to create a competition-worthy tomato sandwich.
So we kept it classic, got to work, and made nearly 1,000 sandwiches by hand.
Master of Disaster Tomato Sandwich
Philosophy: No twists. No gimmicks. Just exceptional ingredients and respect for the classic Southern tomato sandwich.
- Stecca Bread from Upcountry Provisions Bakery & Bistro
- JBO Ranch Tomatoes from Honea Path, SC
- Duke’s Mayonnaise
- Himalayan Sea Salt
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
Jerry building the first Master of Disaster sandwiches in 2024.
The original 2024 public voting recipe card.
The original underdog team.
Growing the Table
Great sandwiches bring people to the table. Great people keep them coming back.
By 2025, the event had become more than a competition. It became a gathering place.
Friends volunteered. Customers joined the assembly line. Partners became sponsors. Families spent the morning together. The booth grew into a warm, playful, picnic-style hospitality experience with flowers, gingham, purple napkins, ballots, kids, crowns, capes, and a lot of laughter.
The team earned the Spirit Award and placed 4th Overall again while bringing nearly fifty members of the technology community together with the local Travelers Rest community.
2025: the table got bigger, warmer, and full of personality.
The Tomato Kings Sandwich
Philosophy: Honor the classic, then make it your own.
- Stecca Bread from Swamp Rabbit Café & Grocery
- Tendwell Farms Tomatoes from Asheville, NC
- Duke’s Mayonnaise
- Kraft Chipotle Aioli
- Trader Joe’s Zhoug Sauce
- Fresh Arugula
- Cracked Sea Salt
- Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
11th Annual Tomato Sandwich Taste-Off
Saturday, July 25, 2026
Travelers Rest Farmers Market
Travelers Rest, South Carolina
Our 11th annual Tomato Sandwich Taste-Off is coming up on July 25th. Bring your appetite, wear your best tomato garb, and spend the day celebrating one of South Carolina’s favorite summer traditions.
Chasing Gold
The story is still being written.
Now entering the third year as competitors, the team returns with Commvault, Darktrace, Everpure, and Fortinet as Title Sponsors, an expanded hospitality tent, and the goal of bringing home the gold.
The recipe is still being written, the story is still unfolding, and another summer chapter is about to begin.
A simple sandwich, a summer morning, and a table where everyone has a place.
Meet the Tomato Team
Jerry Langan
Founder • Recipe Creator • Tomato Enthusiast
The one who first said yes to the impossible challenge and turned a last-minute invitation into an annual tradition.
Follow Jerry on LinkedIn →Lexie Langan
Creative Direction • Hospitality • Storytelling
Booth styling, flowers, presentation, photography, and the thoughtful details that make the table feel welcoming.
Follow Lexie on LinkedIn →The Volunteers
Family • Friends • Customers • Partners
The people who slice, spread, serve, laugh, vote, cheer, and make the tradition possible every summer.
Why We Keep Coming Back
Every July, before the crowds arrive, the tables are set, the bread is sliced, the tomatoes are washed, the flowers are arranged, and the first sandwiches are made by hand.
People often ask why a technology team spends a summer Saturday making tomato sandwiches. The answer has never really been about sandwiches.
It is about supporting a local farmers market. It is about welcoming people. It is about creating something together. It is about customers becoming teammates, partners becoming friends, and families becoming part of the story.
Because the best conversations rarely happen in conference rooms. Sometimes they happen around a picnic table with fresh tomatoes, Duke’s Mayo, and a little Southern sunshine.
See You at the Market
Every great tradition begins with one simple idea. Ours just happened to start with a tomato sandwich.