I’ve always believed the best stories aren’t just written down — they’re cooked.

Every city has its rivalries. In New York, it’s Mets or Yankees. In Chicago, it’s deep dish or thin crust. And in Philadelphia? It’s Pat’s or Geno’s.

On South 9th Street in Philadelphia, two neon-lit corners face each other like culinary gladiators. On one side: Pat’s King of Steaks, founded in 1930. On the other: Geno’s, flashy and defiant since 1966. Each claiming to make the original, the best, the only cheesesteak worth the name.

And it made me wonder: when we pick a side in a food rivalry, are we really just choosing a sandwich? Or are we choosing who we want to be?

I’m Jeanie Jo, and this is Food and the Story — where the best stories are always cooked before they’re told.

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