The cheesesteak was created in 1930 when Philadelphians Pat and Harry Olivieri, grilled beef and threw in some onions to make a sandwich. The exact story behind the sandwich is debated, but in most accounts, Pat and Harry owned a hot dog stand and one day decided to make a new sandwich using beef and grilled onions. This caught the attention of a nearby taxi driver, who proceeded to ask for one too. The taxi driver suggested they quit making hot dogs and sell these. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Perfecting the recipe, the steak sandwich started selling like hotcakes at Olivieri’s hot dog stand near South Philadelphia’s Italian Market. The popularity of the steak sandwich led Pat to open his own eatery — Pat’s King of Steaks. The restaurant is still running successfully today. Interestingly, the original sandwich that Pat made did not have any cheese. According to Olivieri, a manager named Joe Lorenza was the first to add provolone cheese to the sandwiches at one of the restaurants located on Ridge Avenue.
Since then, cheesesteaks have become immensely popular at food carts and restaurants throughout the city. Most of these eateries are owned and run by families, who have their unique spin on cheesesteaks. Several fast-food restaurants also offer their variations of cheesesteaks now. Outside of Philadelphia, the sandwich is commonly known as the “Philly Cheesesteak.”
This story is truly inspirational. Pat and Harry took a chance at trying something new and turned it into a success story. Over thirty years ago, a small group of professionals had a dream: to become the first business aviation audit company, WYVERN. Since then, we have earned an unmatched reputation as the pioneer in aviation safety risk management and training.
Step out and try something new. Differentiate your operation from your competitors by working with WYVERN. We continue to create cutting edge products and services to help you become aviation leaders.
