Pat Olivieri
Encyclopedia
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
restaurateur
Restaurateur
A restaurateur is a person who opens and runs restaurants professionally. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who owns a restaurant, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of the restaurant business.-Etymology:The word...
. He is credited, along with his brother, Harry Olivieri
Harry Olivieri
Harry M. Olivieri was an Italian-American restaurateur. He is credited, along with his brother, Pat Olivieri, as the co-creator of the Philly Cheesesteak in 1933...
, as the 1930 co-creator of the Philly Cheesesteak. The brothers opened Pat's King of Steaks
Pat's Steaks
Pat's King of Steaks is a Philadelphia restaurant specializing in cheesesteaks, and located at the intersection of South 9th Street, Wharton Street and East Passyunk Avenue in South Philadelphia, directly across the street from rival Geno's Steaks.-History: Pat's King of Steaks was founded by Pat...
in 1930, one of the best known purveyors of steak sandwiches in Philadelphia.
In 1930, Pat opened a hot dog
Hot dog
A hot dog is a sausage served in a sliced bun. It is very often garnished with mustard, ketchup, onions, mayonnaise, relish and/or sauerkraut.-History:...
stall with his younger brother Harry Olivieri at the corners of 9th Street, Wharton and Passyunk Avenues. The brothers ran the restaurant while holding down others jobs; Pat made sleds, while Harry worked as a carpenter.
In 1930, as the family relates the story, the brothers invented the steak sandwich
Cheesesteak
A cheesesteak, also known as a Philadelphia cheesesteak, Philly cheesesteak, cheese steak, or steak and cheese, is a sandwich made from thinly-sliced pieces of steak and melted cheese in a long roll...
. Pat gave the first half of one to a cab driver for free.
By 1933, they rented space to open a restaurant at the same spot that they had their stand. The two brothers worked at the restaurant for 15 to 18 hours a day for the next few decades while the restaurant was open 24 hours a day.
In 1965, Pat retired to southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
after a family dispute. Pat died in 1974. His son Herbert Olivieri disputed ownership of the business with Harry Olivieri and his children. Harry's grandson Frank Jr. now runs the business.