The Murky Chicago Origins Of The First Gyro Meat Served In America

Every so often, a dish comes along that reshapes the culinary landscape of a region, like the juicy, tangy gyro. The arrival of the Greek gyro on America's food scene only deepened the country's already rich cultural melting pot. But who really introduced this cone of rotisserie meat packed with a punch of umami to the country?

The journey most likely started in Chicago, though exactly by whom remains a mystery. There are a few Greek Americans who have claimed credit for introducing the gyro to America. The most well-known among them is George Apostolou. In an interview with The New York Times, Apostolou claimed to have served the first gyros in 1965 in Chicago, before beginning to mass produce them in 1974.

But his story has challengers, including Peter Parthenis, who started building rotisseries and eventually created his company, Gyros Inc. Parthenis claims he beat Apostolou to the punch in mass production by a year. Then there's someone named John Garlic, whose wife reportedly claimed that the couple started mass producing gyro cones at a sausage plant before anyone else. However you slice it, if not for the Greek Americans, the gyro may never have found its place in American food culture; history played cupid in what seems like a destined love affair between America and the gyro.

The timing for the great gyro launch was perfect. America was undergoing a culinary revolution in the '70s. Inspired by the hippie subculture, People were embracing a movement that put greater emphasis on nutrition and freshness. At the same time, there was a high demand for readily available dishes.

The Mediterranean gyro checked all the boxes. Restaurants even started selling it as a featured menu item. People like Apostolou didn't just make history, they also became overnight millionaires.

For those who haven't had a chance to savour it, gyro is heavily spiced meat cooked on a vertical rotating spit. Once browned and juicy, the meat is shaved and wrapped in warm pita bread. It is usually served with freshly whipped Greek tzatziki, a creamy yogurt and cucumber sauce, as well as fresh onions and tomatoes. Gyros are often confused with the Middle Eastern shawarma due to similarities in cooking style. But beyond their origins, they also differ in the spice blends used. 

Although similar to and distinct from both shawarma and Turkish döner kebabs, the arrival and eventual assimilation of Greek gyros into American street food birthed a new variation of the dish: the Greek American gyro. While not wildly different from the original, there are some key distinctions between traditional Greek and the Greek American versions.

In Greece, gyros are traditionally made with thinly sliced pork or chicken cooked on a vertical rotisserie. But the Greek American variety is often molded into large cones using minced beef or lamb and then cooked. Though one feature that's a beloved constant in both is some warm and fluffy pita bread.

Whether you want the O.G. or the quirky American version, the good news is, you can make your own gyros at home on a sheet pan. The trick is not to mix the meat with vegetables so that it's easier to pick a cook time. With that bit under control, you can leisurely dig into this Greek snack dipped in a murky but delicious sauce of history.