IT happened in the fifth arrondissement of Paris, just over the bridge from the medieval Catholic cathedral of Notre-Dame. The narrow streets are crowded in the Latin Quarter, an area known for its student life and lively atmosphere. I was about to have an experience that has stayed with me for more than 25 years.

Neon signs beckoned visitors down alleyways. And everywhere, hand-written posters, stuck to the inside of shop windows, proclaiming: ‘Le Grec Sandwich!’

Inside the shops, tall stacks of marinated mutton were being roasted on vertical spits. The shop-keepers shaved the mutton, in juicy chunks, onto a round piece of unleavened bread – a bit like a thick pancake but smeared in deliciously tasty garlic mayonnaise. The meat was topped off with some diced lettuce and a portion of crispy chips before being rolled into a cone and handed over the counter – one of the best lunches I’ve eaten in my lifetime.

I’ve tried to recreate the glory of that Parisian meal at home and failed miserably. I’ve tried dining out, but kebabs in Britain just don’t come close. Because good food is not just about taste. It isn’t even about the appearance of a plate or the wrapping that the food comes in. Good food is about atmosphere, it’s about place, and time, and friends, and love!

So when we came to building the new Parade Ring at Kelso, we decided we needed our own piece of ambrosia – a delicious meal which could be eaten with one hand, while holding a racecard in the other. We could replicate the Grec Sandwich, but not the atmosphere of the fifth arrondissement – so the search began for something fitting.

It had to be local. It had to be crispy, but also moist and juicy. It had to be warm, tasty and sustaining on a cold day. And wrapped so it could be easily eaten while performing the important task of assessing horses for a three-mile steeplechase on an autumnal afternoon.

And so we developed the Kelsae Yorkie: tender slices of beef accompanied by caramelised roasted vegetables, wrapped in a crisp Yorkshire pudding and smothered in gravy. The whole wrap then inserted into a gravy-proof cone of recyclable card – easy to hold, delicious to eat and sustaining on a perfectly chilly day of jump racing in the Scottish Borders.

We’ve developed additional fillings too. For today’s Halloween Raceday, there’ll be delicious pulled pork with sweet potato chips and vegetable crisps.

The Kelsae Yorkie is much healthier than a Mac n Cheese – which could have been our selection for today’s Bruce Farms Handicap Chase at Kelso if the ground was softer. As it is, we’ve not had a lot of rain recently and have been irrigating to ensure suitable ground – so we’re going to stick with another previous Kelso winner, Sudski Star.

Bon appetite!