The chicken sandwich from Isaac’s Poultry Market at 12167 Darnestown Rd in Gaithersburg made it to the top ten in the “best sandwich” category at the World Food Championships in Dallas, Texas on November 12. Earlier this year Issac’s had won the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s “best sandwich competition,” which automatically qualified them for the event. Isaac’s Poultry Market was opened by Rob Gresham, a lifelong MoCo resident and the former Director of Operations at CAVA. He tells us he had never competed in a food competition before, and wasn’t really sure what to expect; “It was really great experience, one that I will always remember. I’m really happy we were able to do as well as we did.”
According to the Restaurant Association, “The World Food Championships is the largest competition in Food Sport, where grand champions of previous events convene for a chance at winning the ultimate food crown and a share of hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money. This event is also the springboard for many up and coming culinary stars and home cooks as they seek TV fame through many well-known food shows and acting opportunities.”
Issac’s features roasted chicken, wings, fried chicken sandwiches, salads, and frozen custard. Gresham came up with the concept with his 13-year-old son while quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant is named after Isaac Newton, who discovered the laws of gravity, optics, and invented calculus while he was in quarantine during the bubonic plague in 1665. “He invented those things, we invented a chicken restaurant.”
