Questlove, the Tonight Show bandleader, is partnering with vegan company Impossible Meat to create a plant-based cheesesteak sandwich.
The “Questlove Cheesesteak” will be sold at all 81 home Phillies games this season, beginning March 28, the Philly Voice reported. The sandwich will also be on the menu at the Met and BB&T Pavilion.
The Philly native and noted foodie announced the collaboration on his Instagram account Tuesday, saying that although he’s not vegan or vegetarian, he finds Impossible’s plant-based meat quite appetizing. “And as a Philadelphian, I gotta know #CheeseSteaks, right?” he said, adding that the aim is to offer “a delicious and sustainable alternative for all cheesesteak eaters.”
And not just locally: Over the next few months, Live Nation will start offering the sandwich in 40 venues across the country.
The Questlove Cheesesteak will be made with Impossible 2.0 Meat (main ingredients: potato and soy protein), a “melted cheese blend,” plus peppers and onions on an amoroso roll, Eater reported. Because the cheesesteak contains real cheese — swapping out both traditional meat and dairy might have been considered pushing one’s luck — it is not vegan. But “guests can check with their local venue for specific customizations, including ordering without cheese,” a spokesperson for Live Nation said.
Questlove has been branching out into food-related pursuits for years, hosting “food salons” and appearing on “Top Chef” and “Parts Unknown with Anthony Bourdain.” In 2017, his book “Something to Food About: Exploring Creativity With Innovative Chefs” was nominated for a James Beard Foundation book award, a.k.a. the Oscars of the food world.
But now he’s set his sights on something bigger. “To have the Phillies and Live Nation as our initial partners is great as it speaks to my love for my hometown of Philadelphia combined with my love of music,” Questlove said in a formal announcement about the sandwich. “However, the goal for this product is to create a global network of restaurants, venues, and retail locations where Questlove’s Cheesesteak can be purchased.”
