And the winner of Philly’s Italian Market Festival cheesesteak contest is ...
Judge Jeremiah Trotter, the former Eagles linebacker, said he got into cheesesteaks in 1998 when the team took him to what was then Tony Luke’s on Oregon Avenue near the sports complex.
Seven Philadelphia shops competed in the South 9th Street Italian Market Festival’s inaugural cheesesteak contest Saturday. When the smoke cleared and judges voted, the winner was Lorenzo’s, whose shop is about two blocks from the contest.
Vinny Caramanna, working a grill at the cheesesteak contest, looked over at the judges tasting his sandwich. He’s seen the look of a happy customer before in his 10 years of managing Lorenzo’s Pizza in South Philadelphia, said his boss, Keith Vellios.
”He saw [former Eagle] Jeremiah Trotter’s eyes,” Vellios said. “Then [Trotter] mouthed, ‘What the … ?’”
What he was savoring? Lorenzo’s regular cheesesteak — ribeye from Liberty Bell Steak on a Liscio’s roll. The winning entry.
Coming in second was FoodChasers’ Kitchen of Elkins Park, represented by sisters Maya and Kala Johnstone, and finishing third was Woodrow’s Sandwich Shop of South Street, represented by Kevin Kramer. Other contestants were Campo’s Deli of Old City, Korean Taqueria and Rocco’s, both of South Philadelphia, and By George of Reading Terminal Market.
Deer Park, the contest sponsor, selected the contestants from online nominations. The bottled-water company agreed to donate $5,000 in Lorenzo’s name to its designated charity, Eagles Autism Challenge.
Trotter, a former Eagles linebacker, said he got into cheesesteaks in 1998 when the team took him to what was then Tony Luke’s on Oregon Avenue near the sports complex. “I had never had anything like them before,” said Trotter, a Texan from birth through college. “I love them.”
He estimated that the seven bites of sandwiches Saturday were the equivalent of a full-size sandwich.
Also judging were Chance Anies, owner of Tabachoy restaurant, and Michael Bennett, morning show host at radio station The New 96.5.