Ever wanted to add a touch of spice to your lunchtime meal? An aromatic hint of danger? Maybe you’re not the sort for such a walk on the wild side, but you could still live vicariously through the videos of DnD Tiktokker, Jacob Pauwels, the man and mind behind Roll for Sandwich.
Pauwels, a 34-year-old writer, dad, and now TikTok influencer from Grand Rapids, Michigan, has grown a massive following by letting fate decide his lunch. Flirting with chaos each afternoon, while constructing a sandwich he uses DnD dice rolls and random tables to decide everything from bread, cheese, veg, and sauce. There’s even a dangerous category for ‘Wild Magic’, containing more exotic ingredients like cinnamon and scrambled egg.
The ‘Roll for Sandwich’ formula has proven immensely popular, with millions of fans turning up to watch Pauwels make, eat, and rate his randomised culinary creations. The series has exploded his account – since March 2022, Pauwels has gone from the owner of a modest DnD channel covering minis and props, to a sandwich-based superstar with 1.1 million followers. There’s even Roll for Sandwich merch!
The idea for Roll for Sandwich came to Pauwels in April and stems from his DnD games, where he often uses random tables to generate content for his players.
“I had just gone shopping and had a decent amount of food on hand,” Pauwels tells Wargamer. “And I decided to try and randomly generate myself lunch using the dice. It was fun, and a lot of other people on TikTok thought it was fun too – so then I just kept doing it!” He adds that it’s been a consistent form of content he can put out while looking after a toddler five days a week.
Over the months, Pauwels has made a lot of different lists, and brought a lot of different props to the show – including countless different DnD dice sets. He’s even taken to slicing the sandwiches using a miniature axe (and a chainmail glove for safety).
At time of writing, he’s at episode 54, but some of his most memorable sandwiches were in recent episodes. “There have been a few 10/10 sandwiches so far, but my favourite so far comes from Episode #42. It was just such an unexpected banger!” he says.
Here’s the ingredients, so you can recreate the top sandwich for yourself: Italian Bread, Peanut Butter, Goat Cheese, Avocado, Banana Peppers, Iceberg Lettuce, and Kimchi Mayo.
“The worst was actually the episode right before that one, Episode #41,” Pauwels says. “We got our first and only 0/10 so far. It was a disaster. Even thinking about it now gives me indigestion.”
We think a cursory glance at the ingredients will explain why: Croissant, Salami, Gouda, Red Onion, Banana Peppers, Furikake Seasoning, and Speculoos Cookie Butter.
Pauwels tells Wargamer he has no plans to incorporate dice rolls into other parts of his routine. “I may be the master of chaotic sandwiches on Tiktok, but I actually am closer to Lawful or Neutral in my daily personal life. I have anxiety and ADHD, so I need to be a planner or things just fall apart.”
Roll for Sandwich recently went on a month-long hiatus through July, while Pauwels worked on his novel. “It’s a high fantasy book, and I’m over 100,000 words into it, so I’m hoping I’m getting close to having it done,” he says. “Writing is my first love, and my dream is to put out at least one book.
“With my TikTok blowing up, I’ve had less time to work on it, so that’s why I decided to take the month off. But as of August first, Roll for Sandwich is back for season 2!”
You can find Roll for Sandwich on TikTok @adventuresinaardia. With Season 2 just getting into gear, it seems now is the perfect time to jump in!