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Gosh! Gayle King did it again, doing the foodies dirty. The eponymous television personality, Oprah’s soulmate through thick and thin, must have gone for those Manhattan cheesesteaks at Danny and Coop’s—all the way from co-ownership by Danny DiGiampietro and Bradley Cooper—and honey, she was struck dumb. We are talking about the kind of impression that says, “Cancel all plans, and get to Manhattan immediately.”
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An Oprah Daily video shows Gayle acting like an investigative journalist would about these cheese sticks, grilling the staff, seriously assessing the bread’s texture like a forensic scientist, and basically going through a religious experience with each bite. Wow, she goes on to continue with the cheesesteak being “extraordinary from start to finish,” which, in her lexicon, having probably eaten at Michelin restaurants weekly, is a huge compliment.
Gayle goes on about foraging for details most would miss—the sesame seeds on the bread, the flawless balance of crunch and softness, and even the upside-down method of building the sandwich for even flavor penetration. Gayle actually freaks out with the words, “Bravo. Thank you. It’s as good as it looks,” which in New Yorker speaking is: “Drop everything, and eat here now.”
What is going on in the comments? One said, “I think about these cheesesteaks every other day.” Me, me! Another admitted they have stopped making trips to Philly ever since discovering the place; that makes for a good scuffle with Pennsylvania, but facts are facts. That starts the banter with some Philly natives inviting Gayle to come try the real cheesesteak shoppes back home, plus recommendations for salmon and oxtail versions that just sound insane.
There were some who had issues with the whole foodie vibe. They crossed in awkward energy: “the world is coming down. ICE raids going everywhere and your focus is cheesesteaks?” Listen, Linda. People gotta eat regardless of the apocalypse. Let Gayle have her sandwich moment.
Raymond-Norman throws chaos to the max with his caps-locked hot mess Shakespearean monologue about Gayle being a “DIVA ANCHOR” hitting the “BEEF and CARBS” while drinking green tea to “CALM and RELEX.” Sir, are you okay? Do you want us to call somebody?
The endorsement from Gayle King must really be worth its weight in gold to Danny and Coop! I mean, between Gayle’s approval and Bradley Cooper’s star power (the man could sell me a used napkin, and I would buy it), this place might just be scrambling to put up a “Reservation Only” sign. The only other question is—when will Oprah show up to do some serious taste testing herself? You can bet your life on 24-hour advanced notice for a private tasting.
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Hence, the rest of us will figure out whether to book a flight to NYC or attempt these legendary cheesesteaks in the kitchen (spoiler alert: we are looking at a major fail). Whichever way, Danny and Coop have just become the hottest tickets in town, and Gayle King has become the people’s food critic that we never knew we needed.