The humble cheesesteak. Something as simple as a three ingredient sandwich (that can even be reduced to two ingredients) has been a Philadelphia icon and food staple since its inception. According to Scott Ferguson, writer for the Pennsylvania Center for the Book and author of “Philly’s Flavorsome Fight,” the cheesesteak we know today was the creation of Italian immigrant Harry Olivieri. Ferguson states that in 1930 Olivieri, a hotdog vendor in South Philadelphia, “went to a local grocery market to purchase some beef…sliced up the beef, grilled it with some onions, and placed it on a roll” (Ferguson 1). The story continues claiming that before Olivieri could try his new creation a passing taxicab driver asked to purchase it. Olivieri agreed to the sale. As an extremely satisfied customer, the cab driver advertised how delicious the steak sandwich was. Word of the sliced-beef wonder quickly spread throughout the city of Philadelphia. A customer base was created. Demand that a steak sandwich become part of Olivier’s regular menu was so high that, “In 1940, the Olivieri brothers opened up Pat’s King of Steaks in South Philadelphia” (Ferguson 1). Since its 1940’s opening, the establishment has served countless Philadelphians and numerous tourists visiting from around the country and the world.
The cheesesteak is undoubtedly a Philadelphia icon. A search on VisitPhilly.com for Philadelphia restaurants produces a list of food categories with one dedicated exclusively to, and adequately named, “Authentic Philly Cheesesteaks.” This category boasts a list of over twenty cheesesteak venders in the Philadelphia region. Also, visitors of the website are provided with a definition of a cheesesteak, a protocol on how to properly order a cheesesteak and the history of the iconic sandwich. Since its inception in 1930, the steak sandwich has evolved significantly, Ferguson claims that cheese was not added to the sandwich until twelve years after Olivier sold the first. Along with cheese, the sandwich can be customized with a variety of other toppings to suit the customer. Popular topping possibilities include mushrooms, onions or peppers. Competition to be dubbed the most desired cheesesteak in the city is high, with a winning restaurant ranked each year by Philadelphia magazine, the region’s leading magazine for area events and business reviews. A day touring Philadelphia, and the attempt to immerse oneself fully in Philadelphia’s culture, would not be complete without a taste of an authentic Philly cheesesteak. It is this attribute that places the cheesesteak among other Philadelphia icons including Betsy Ross, the Liberty Bell and Rocky Balboa. Unlike the ongoing debate on who makes the best cheesesteak in the city, there is no debating the significance of the cheesesteak in Philadelphia culture and its iconic status.
Ferguson, Scott. “Philly’s Flavorsome Fight.” Pennsylvania Center for the Book, Summer 2008. http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/Cheesesteaks.html.