The Inaugural Caputo’s Deli Olympics

For as long as we’ve had multiple branches, we’ve heard the hunger for competition. Each veteran behind the line thinks they can make the fastest, prettiest, most well executed sandwich. Each seasoned monger stakes a claim on their ability to carve the perfect cheese slice. When your crew kicks butt, they also want to kick each others’. Who are we to discourage a little healthy contest?

When the gloves were thrown down, six Olympic teams spanned the company: Downtown, 15th, Holladay, Online, Warehouse, and Admin. Rivalries were fierce between the brick-and-mortar branches, but everyone came to play. From a Cookie Discuss, a Hot Soup Dash, to the inception itself of Quickest Sando, every team was given ample opportunity to earn their country, er, crew pride.

We had so much fun, but it wasn’t really about how fast teams run or how far they throw a heavy tomato can. Caputo’s Deli Olympics are about our core values and aspirations. This event was a showcase on our drive to always strive for excellence in welcoming patrons with warmth, offering legendary customer service, connecting our community with world-class products, and promoting responsible stewardship of the Earth.

Best Cheese Cut:

With the cheese selection and required weight unannounced until the gun, the field of six was level and on the edges of their knives. An unexpectedly common choice of Grotte Caputo, requested to be cut at the hard-to-perfect 1/3 lb, left many novices out of their element. Slices were judged on speed, proximity to weight, and presentation in wrapping. Our OG deli-back Matt Caputo cut fast, accurate, and pretty to walk away with the gold.

1. Matt (standing in for 15th)
2. Marta (Downtown)
3. Danger (Online)

Best Written Response:

No matter our department, we’re all in the business of customer service. Knowing how to kindly answer an unhappy customer is a skill we all have in spades, but a written response can present a new bag of challenges. Responses were judged on the number of issues addressed, and calm, yet personal manners. At the end of the painfully brief five minutes, Online Customer Service pro Reana had this one in the bag.

1. Reana (Online)
2. Austin (Holladay)
3. Alicia (Downtown)

DiNapoli Shot Put:

When creating Track & Field style events for our Olympics, the Shot Put was an obvious choice. Perhaps even more obvious was the choice of a #10 (6.5lb) can of DiNapoli Tomatoes as the object to be thrown. Scored on distance traveled from the line, Matt Caputo flexed his Crossfit training to claim another gold. We painted the park tomato red, but carry on dear reader, we had plans to use that mess.

1. Matt (Downtown)
2. Donny (Admin)
3. Sante (Holladay)

“Hot” Soup Fifty Meter Dash:

Ah yes, those plans I mentioned for the crumpled cans above? Waste not, want not; we put that carnage to good use. Deli soup containers topped up to (and sometimes over) the brim were handed to our eager dashers before they embarked across the same field. First across the line (with penalties for spillage) took gold, with Danger earning his name for a shameless, smooth sprint through the finish and a chug off the top to celebrate.

1. Danger (Online)
2. Ryan (Warehouse)
3. Sarah (Downtown)

Best Composed Bite

I got excited and already wrote a whole blog post with accompanying recipes and bundles for this one… but here’s the gist. Using only ingredients found on our market shelves or in our deli stock, contestants were given fifteen minutes to create their most captivating canape. Recipes ranged from fishy drinks to elevated s’mores, and Fern took it with Michelin praise.

1. Fern (Holladay)
2. Ryan (Warehouse)
3. Alicia (Downtown)

Salami Relay:

What’s in a name? A big ol’ stick of Creminelli calabrese (still wrapped, thankfully) passed as a baton between runners for a lap around the park. The only event which incurred an injury (our poor online team BLED for bronze), surely put on a show. Judged, as you might expect, on time. Holladay had the hop, what can we say?

1. Holladay
2. Downtown
3. Online

Best Packed Box:

This test was simple. Prepare a package for the absolute worst a grumpy delivery driver on the wrong day could do. Competitors collected items from the market and packed them as quickly as possible before surrendering their work for judgment from a two story drop to the parking lot. Recovered parcels were judged on accuracy of items pulled and lack of damage from the drop. Despite an initial setback (his pre-packed box got swiped), Preston showed how our warehouse gets it done.

1. Preston (Warehouse)
2. Alicia (Downtown)
3. Chelsea (Admin)

Cookie Discus:

If you haven’t yet had the privilege of enjoying our house made chocolate chip cookies, I would encourage you to change that. We’re well known for, and damn proud of them. It was only fitting to have pastry chef Marian McKenney bake off bigger-than-your-face versions to flick across a field as far as they would fly. Preston landed his cookie edge side down and cooked the competition with a roll into first.

1. Preston (Warehouse)
2. Mason (Admin)
3. Frankie (Downtown)

Caputo’s Trivia:

We all know niche bits of company history, but it should be no surprise that our Admin team walked away with this one handily. Adri has been with the Caputos since they created an Admin department, and her speed to the buzzer was simply unmatched.

1. Admin
2. Online
3. Downtown

Quickest Sando:

The fight that started it all. A battle for the ages and one that didn’t shake out easily. After a first round tie between Marian of Holladay and Katie of Downtown, the redo was fast, furious, and just a little too messy. With judgment placed on both time and cleanliness, Marian walked away with the gold for her speed and grace.

1. Marian (Holladay)
2. Katie (Downtown)
3. Harrison (Online)

Our Olympic Deli Team represents a relentless pursuit of excellence and constant improvement. We talk a big game, and we support each other along the way to hold our core values inherent. Thank you for supporting and joining us in setting and reaching for our lofty goals.