Pat’s King of Steaks is credited for being the place where the cheesesteak was invented several decades ago.
Frankie Olivieri, the third-generation owner of the classic cheesesteak spot, has always done things similar to the way his predecessors did.
However, just earlier this year, he finally decided to break free and try something different, writes Danielle Paquette for The Washington Post.
While the core recipe of cheese, sliced rib-eye, and optional sautéed onions remain, Olivieri recently decided to trot out a sesame-seeded roll as opposed to the usual plain Italian roll.
“This is the ‘New School,’” Frankie said of the altered cheesesteak.
In addition to spreading the Cheez Whiz onto the sesame-seeded roll, he also decided to melt the rib-eye and onions together as opposed to layering them.
What may seem like simple changes represent major changes for a recipe that has remained relatively unchanged — save for additions like sweet peppers and mushrooms — both of which started out as secrets until the late Frank Olivieri Sr. saw their popularity as toppings.
With so many other food spots throughout the region delivering their own takes on cheesesteaks, Pat’s customers still overwhelming preferred the classic version.
Regardless of that, Olivieri is aiming to avoid stagnation.
Read more about the recent change to Pat’s cheesesteaks and why it happened in The Washington Post.
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