Is there a proper way to make grilled cheese sandwich?

One of my guilty pleasures is watching movies and TV shows that highlight food. On Netflix, I love Flavorful Origins, the Korean Rhapsody series (pork belly, fried chicken and han woo), the KFoodShow series (banchan, broth and kimchi) and Somebody Feed Phil.

And, when it was still there, I watched Chef on repeat.

In one of the best scenes of the film, the chef lovingly prepares a grilled cheese sandwich at home for his son. Even without a paying customer to impress, the chef pours just as much energy into the work, never scrimping and never taking short-cuts.

He butters two slices of bread (one side only), drizzles oil on the skillet, lays the unbuttered side of the bread in the hot oil, piles on slices of cheese, then lifts one slice of bread and inverts it on top of the other. The top is spread with more butter. The heat is lowered and the sandwich is cooked until the cheese slices melt.

On the screen, it was magnificent. But two things made me pause. First, toasting the bread in oil. Second, more butter after the sandwich has been assembled.

You see, when I eat a sandwich, I don’t like to feel grease on the bread. Not on the outside anyway which is the part that touches my fingers.

I know, I know. Not everyone feels that way about sandwiches. In fact, in Season 6 of Somebody Feed Phil (which came out some six years after Chef), I learned that in Santiago, Chile, a sandwich is traditionally eaten with a fork and knife. It’s not a portable meal at all but something you have to sit down for.

But, back to grilled cheese sandwich. How do I make it at home? I do butter one side of both slices of bread but I toast the unbuttered sides bread in an oil-free pan. And I do like adding other ingredients to the cheese. Here’s an example.

Toss the mozzarella, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, olives and parsley with salt and pepper. Spread on a slice of bread, cover with another slice of bread. Grill the sandwich (in the oven, air fryer or oven toaster, or on a stove top grill or a large skillet) until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted. Depending on where you grill the sandwiches, turning them over may be required. Cut the sandwich in half (optional) and take a bite.