Jake Pauwels pairs D&D dice with sandwich ingredients for a show that is chaotic fun.
Jake Pauwels started his TikTok write up in March to send Dungeons & Dragons content , after gibe to take over as Dungeon Master among his radical of friends . The military campaign would take place in a fictional world of his foundation , Aardia , which is a nod to his username,@AdventuresinAardia . But he never expected to be a legion of his own food show .
maintain with the Dungeons & Dragons motif , he decided to bulge out asandwich - makingshow , which he titledRoll for Sandwich , in which he would employ D&D dice to facilitate him create a sandwich — what bread to use , sauces to include , proteins , and “ groundless magic . ”
“ I thought it would be something fun to put on my D&D - focus account that would make some people smile , ” Pauwels says . “ I mostly figured it would stay on D&D TikTok . ”
Design by Maggie Rossetti for Thrillist
It did not . Pauwels has surpassed 40 episode of his sandwich - wee party , and with that , has also collect a following of nearly 800,000 that inches nearer to a million with each passing solar day .
“ It ’s queer because I have a deal of experience with social medium due to all the unlike things that I ’ve done in my living — touring as a musician , being an author , ” Pauwels explain . “ But this is not something that I expected to have a sprightliness of its own . gratefully as it pull ahead steam , I recognise what to do to help it grow . ”
There are so many factors that contribute to the pleasure of Pauwels ’ show . For starters , leaving it to chance to determine his lunch for the day , much in the way dice decide fictional character ’ fates in Dungeons & Dragons campaigns , keep spectator glued to the screen . When a sandwich fall together in a way that makes sense , you cheer . When marshmallow bagatelle gets total to sauerkraut , you moan — yet stay to witness Pauwels ’s reaction as he dives in , always providing good feedback in a voiceover about the mixture the dice have chosen for him .
Pauwels makes a point to eat every bite of the sandwich he ’s made , no matter how disconcerting the combination . Bananas with pastrami and dill weed ? Check . umber chip waffles with salami and HP sauce ? It ’s been done .
“ At the starting time of this serial , I committed that whatever creation I make , I ’m gon na eat the whole sandwich , ” Pauwels lead off . “ If there ’s no consequences for the rolls that I ’m doing , then what ’s the point ? Like if I can roll up a terrible sandwich and then just decide not to eat it , there ’s no stakes . ” The allure that made Pauwels concerned in D&D in the first place are the stakes . It ’s what makes the game , both D&D andRoll for Sandwich , fun and exciting .
“ Also , there ’s a ton of intellectual nourishment waste on TikTok of mass just making horrendous things , just to get clicks and views , and then all of that ’s perish in the garbage . And that ’s terrible , ” Paulwels adds . “ I know what it ’s like to be on a budget , to not be able to afford nutrient sometimes . Food has value . ”
“ At the beginning of this series , I committed that whatever universe I make , I ’m gon na eat the whole sandwich . ”
In addition tofood barren , Pauwels also apply his TikTok show as a platform to keep food and the many ingredients , across different cultures , that he ’s gotten to try throughRoll for Sandwich . “ I ’ve always been open - minded when it fall to different food combinations , ” Pauwels explains . He impute this quality to his grandmother , who stocked her fridge with funky Malva sylvestris from around the world and advance Pauwels to try pickled Clupea harangus , strong suit olives , liverwurst , or whatever else she had on handwriting . That , and turn up in Metro Detroit , where he dined inMiddle Eastern restaurantsrun by the prominent Arabic population in Michigan , made him curious about intellectual nourishment .
“ We live in a very diverse reality and everybody has to run through — it ’s something we all have in common , ” Pauwels suppose . “ So being able to keep an open mind and look into foods from other finish , and see why people eat what they eat — that ’s always interested me . ”
Since opening up a P.O. box , fan of Pauwels ’ show have clamor to send him ingredients from their own communities in hope he ’ll add it to theRoll for Sandwichrotation . There ’s beenFilipino banana ketchup , marmiteand vegemite , ketchup - flavour chip , kimchi mayo , and more . Pauwels has had to corrupt a freestanding cabinet for his ingredient , as well as freezer chest , but is well-chosen to share the new combinations with viewers and the community he has developed .
As Pauwels nears his fiftieth sequence , what he refers to as the “ time of year one finis , ” he design to take a month - long sabbatic where he can focus on his fable writing and being a pop to his two - yr - old daughter ( who he is also teaching to love interesting , new fixings ) .
But that does n’t meanRoll for Sandwichis ending . Pauwels is project particular spin - off instalment , and wants to boost his viewers to try out some of the flavorous combinations he ’s already made ( like a peanut butter , avocado , banana capsicum , lettuce , and chevre sandwich smothered in kimchi mayo that he made in episode 42 , which collect a 10/10 ranking ) .
“ Even apples instead of tomatoes or lettuce on a turkey sandwich ends up being really respectable , ” he says . “ And it ’s amazing how well cinnamon - raisin bread go with savory . ”
Beyond the sandwich , Pauwels views himself as an unofficial ambassador to D&D , and want to use his political platform to further people to take part in the fantasy game .
“ It ’s not just about the sandwich . There ’s now a Discord , a subreddit , ” Pauwels says . “ It ’s coolheaded that I ’ve been able-bodied to create this place where masses can derive together . ”
