We Are Teesside

There are variations, but a classic Parmo is a chicken or pork fillet that is beaten until it is flat and roughly the size of half a pizza box, covered in breadcrumbs, then fried. Then béchamel sauce and a layer of cheese (strangely not parmesan) is added and it’s grilled.

It's usually served with chips and salad (that’s the healthy part) and some people swear that a layer of garlic sauce (another Teesside delicacy) needs to be poured on top.

It's thought that the humble Parmo was created by Nicos Harris in 1958, at 'The American Grill' restaurant he owned on Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough.

The original name for a Parmo was 'Escalope Parmesan' and was made from pork meat or chicken and is served both as a restaurant meal and a take-out snack, accompanied by chips and a choice of salad, coleslaw or creamed cabbage. The modern Teesside Parmo has similarities to veal or chicken Parmigiana which is commonly eaten in Australia .

If you’re too refined for drunken eating after a night out, then you can order a Parmo in most Italian restaurants round our way, which is usually renamed as a 'parmigana', and you can get a smaller ‘ladies’ one if you can’t manage a full one.

Although pretty much an unknown quantity outside of Teesside, the humble Parmo has had its moments of fame. On 15 December 2007, Antony Worrall Thompson cooked one on ITV's Saturday Cooks.

It's a matter of personal pride amongst some Teessiders to know where to go to procure the very tastiest Parmo. Let us know if you have.

Borges takeaway wins World Parmo Championship

On Saturday 11 October BBC Tees' Ali Brownlee helped judge the second World Parmo Championship in Stockton High Street.

The cook-off was judged by BBC Tees presenter and Parmo expert Ali Brownlee, Eugene McCoy the owner of The Cleveland Tontine and Charlie Constantine, as well as last year's winner - Mike Featherstone.

Borges takeway in Stockton was awarded the crown after dazzling the judges with its version of the iconic Teesside delicacy.

Europa in Middlesbrough came second and Mahujos in Billingham came third.

2007 winner

In 2007 votes came flooding in from far-flung places such as Japan to Cardiff, but the coveted World Parmo Champion was awarded to Mike's Return Takeaway in Middlesbrough.

BBC Tees' Diane Youdale had never experienced a Parmo but all this changed when our very own Parmo king Ali Brownlee got wind of this news.

Ali takes Diane for her first Parmo

Ali decided something had to be done so he took Diane to Mike's Return for her very first Parmo on the 4 November.