All-Star Village's cheesesteak champs are ... from Tokyo?!
As the baseball world converged on Philadelphia this week for the MLB All-Star Game and its related activities, so, too, did a local icon become the consensus flavor of the week. That, of course, is the cheesesteak.
Philly’s classic cuisine was the subject of an MLB-hosted “Cheesesteak Challenge” at the Capital One All-Star Village at the outset of the week, with viral cooking creators whipping up their versions of the sandwich for a panel of celebrity judges -- including former All-Star pitcher Jamie Moyer.
The competition’s winner may surprise you. Not only are they not native Philadelphians, they don’t even hail from anywhere near the East Coast.
Kosuke and Tomomi Chujo, who traveled from Tokyo for the event, took home the crown. And, according to CBS News Philadelphia, the prize for winning includes having their cheesesteak featured on the famous Angelo’s menu in the city for a limited time.
But they’re not just parachuting in for the All-Star festivities with a surprisingly good cheesesteak. Despite living on the opposite side of the globe, they’re honorary Philadelphians who have worked on their craft for quite some time.
The Chujos have run a Philadelphia-inspired restaurant in Tokyo named “Nihonbashi Philly” since 2011. The restaurant has Philadelphia memorabilia everywhere, including Phillies and Eagles gear. Kosuke told 6ABC Philadelphia that he listened to Philadelphia soul music when he was younger and fell in love with the city. He also loves Wawa and the “Rocky” movies, even getting the boxer tattooed on his leg.
The Chujos were already making cheesesteaks when they visited Philadelphia together for the first time, but they realized afterward how much different the authentic thing was. Kosuke took notes and, clearly, has found something that works. Nihonbashi Philly’s cheesesteaks are made with homemade bread and homemade cheese whiz.
After winning Sunday’s Cheesesteak Challenge, Kosuke had a simple message for the crowd.
“I love Philadelphia! I love cheesesteaks!” he yelled. “I love Eagles! I love Phillies! Everybody, I love you! Thank you!”
The dogged pursuit of the perfect cheesesteak -- and eating as many of them as possible -- is nothing new to MLB and its personnel when visiting Citizens Bank Park. The chase simply has a new champ.