Seven Philadelphia stores participated in the South 9th Street Italian Market Festival’s first cheesesteak contest on Saturday. As the smoke cleared and the judges voted, the winner went to Lorenzo’s, whose store is about two blocks from the contest.
Second place went to FoodChasers’ Kitchen of Elkins Park, represented by sisters Maya and Kala Johnstone, and third place went to Woodrow’s Sandwich Shop of South Street, represented by Kevin Kramer. Other attendees included Old City’s Campo’s Deli, South Philadelphia’s Korean Taqueria and Rocco’s, and Reading Terminal Market’s By George.
Deer Park, the sponsor of the competition, selected the participants from online nominations. The bottled water company agreed to donate $5,000 to the charity Eagles Autism Challenge on Lorenzo’s behalf.
Judge Jeremiah Trotter, the former Eagles linebacker, said he stumbled onto cheesesteaks in 1998 when the team took him to what was then Tony Luke’s on Oregon Avenue near the sports complex. “I’ve never had anything like this before,” said Trotter, a Texan from birth through college. “I love her.”
He estimated that Saturday’s seven bites of sandwiches equaled one large sandwich.
Also serving as judges were Chance Anies, owner of Tabachoy restaurant, and Michael Bennett, host of the morning show on radio station The New 96.5.