Guest chef at Pat's to give out free vegetarian 'steaks' for charity

Like his fine-dining breathren, Frank Olivieri of Pat's King of Steaks in South Philadephia is going the guest-chef route.

First up at his 85-year-old cheesesteak institution is health coach Sally Eisenberg, who with Olivieri will hand out free vegetarian "cheesesteaks" at Pat's (Ninth Street and Passyunk Avenue), on Thursday, Jan. 7 from 3 to 5 p.m.

The event is a fundraiser for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, in memory of Eisenberg's sister Clarabeth Grossman, who died in 2006 at age 55. Customers will be asked to pay what they want for the sandwiches, and al of the donations will be matched by Olivieri and donated to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.

The idea was sparked when Olivieri, who recently graduated from the Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College, decided that he wanted to work with some of the top chefs in and around Philadelphia. He mentioned his idea to Eisenberg, a friend. She volunteered to create a sandwich to start the series.

The veggie "cheesesteak" - and the cheesesteak definition here is being stretched (however tasty it may be) - includes sautéed broccoli rabe, avocado, red onion, cilantro, mango, kelp granules, lime juice, and Muenster cheese. It's topped with an egg and served on an Aversa's Bakery roll.