Steaking a Claim Down Under

Geno Sparrow (left) and his business partner Sammy Lynch stand alongside of their Sparrow’s Philly Cheesesteaks truck. 

On Gertrude Street in Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia, there is magic in the air, or maybe it’s just the comforting aroma of fried onions and Scotch Fillet Australian beef sizzling on a flat top grill. You have arrived at Sparrow’s Philly Steaks, the first and only authentic cheesesteak shop in the land of Oz. 

This sublime slice of Philly cuisine and culture is the brainchild of Swarthmore ex-pat Geno Sparrow, who opened his first location with business partner Sammy Lynch in 2013.

What made you decide to open a cheesesteak shop down under?

I was having a few beers with friends, and we were deciding what to get for dinner. I wanted a cheesesteak! I mean a real Philly cheesesteak, and I just couldn’t find any place in Melbourne that did it right. 

So you had to DIY?

Exactly. If started with that insatiable craving. Before I knew it I had taken my own dare, put the product out, and soon other people were craving it.

Did you quit your day job?

Hell no! I still work in finance, which helped me launch this venture and turn it into my side gig. There’s a lot less pressure on the bottom line, and I can enjoy my time there at the shop without it taking over my life. 

So you had a very specific plan?

Yes. We had to put the parts in place. Our first and most important order of business was to find a way to get good authentic Amoroso-style rolls. It’s all about the roll, you know? We had a friend of ours from Philly bring in Amoroso rolls and we spent six months searching for a baker who could do some reverse engineering to reproduce those rolls. They are very close to the original rolls you would find in Philadelphia. We also import American cheese, and source our high-quality meat from local butchers...Australian Scotch Fillet beef is some of the best in the world. From that standpoint, our steaks are probably better than many of the joints in Philly!

Geno Sparrow

How have you navigated the pandemic?

We were early adopters of Uber Eats and other delivery companies, and we have been in business for so long that we have die hard fans, so we still do brisk business in walk-up and delivery. The Australian government did shut down the city but they helped us fill in the cracks with tax breaks and some other funding.

What made you decide to set up shop so far from home?

I’m a traveler at heart, and to be honest, my values never truly lined up with my home country. I lived in New York City for a while but other than that I have spent most of my adult life outside of the U.S. In 1991 I moved to Japan for about ten years and I’ve been in Australia for the past fourteen. There is a freedom to living abroad...no one truly judges me based on my skin color like they do in the U.S. Australia is my home and I have never been happier.

Did you feel judged on your skin color when you lived in Swarthmore?

Sometimes there were uncomfortable moments being black in a predominantly white town, but for me it wasn’t really about my race. It just felt judgemental. Swarthmore is a very nice area, and I am thankful that my parents were very focused, as educators themselves, on raising me in what they perceived as a positive learning environment. But with such privilege there is judgement and elitism. As a kid, I felt like there was always some higher standard held in front of me that I would never live up to. It made it tougher to find my peer group. I was an only child, usually living on the border between the black and white neighborhoods, and that’s how I felt socially...on the borders but never quite fitting into one group.

How did your childhood experience affect you as an adult, and as a father?

As a father, I make sure my kids enjoy their childhood, take pride in themselves, and take nothing for granted. As an adult, I feel like growing up in Delco has prepared me for anything.

What’s next for Sparrow’s Steaks? Any plans for expansion?

We’re definitely looking at opening new locations here in Melbourne and all across Australia. We also imported a food truck from L.A. We put it on a boat and then fitted it out here in Melbourne. They don’t make box vans here...we have the most original food truck in Australia. And that’s really what we’re selling... originality and authenticity. People come see us when they want to experience Philadelphia, and we take great pride in providing that experience.

John Hurst of Wallingford is a guest contributor and puzzle master.