The invention of Philly Cheesesteaks

The Philadelphia cheesesteak is a sandwich of legend. Pat’s hot dog stand was founded in 1930 by Olivieri brothers (Pat and Harry Olivieri).

They first served cheesesteaks in 1933 on the corner of Ninth and Passyunk in South Philadelphia. The legend goes that the brothers were bored at lunch and wanted to experiment with something new.

They went to the market for ingredients. He cooked the meat on his hot dog grill, placed the meat onto an Italian roll and dressed it with some onions. And thus the cheesesteak was born. Allegedly, they sold the first cheesesteak to a cab driver for 10c.

As the years passed both employees and customers alike demanded change …. cheese was added. The cheese was added in the 1940s and at first it was provolone, the inspiration of a manager named Cocky Joe Lorenzo.

While provolone remains the cheese of choice for many fans, the true Philly Cheesesteak is topped with Cheez Whiz. Pat’s King of Steaks, still owned and operated by the Olivieri family, is known for its Philadelphia cheesesteak sandwiches.
The invention of Philly Cheesesteaks