Blogs and Stories
The Trailer Park Gourmet
Courtesy of Food Network
Guy Fieri has become the Food Network's biggest star, while offending foodies by promoting lowbrow favorites like BBQ sushi. He talks to Rachel Syme about taking on the haters.
Next Tuesday night, Food Network personality Guy Fieri, 41, will step onto a $170,000 stage in a custom-made black leather chef's coat and use a 6-foot-tall blender to make 25 gallons of margaritas in two minutes. Fieri plans to get a cocktail to each member of the 2,800-person audience in the Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Massachusetts' Merrimack Valley, where he kicks off his 22-city national “rock 'n' roll meets culinary” tour.
“Oh, hell, yeah!” he says, when asked if the margaritas are intended for crowd consumption. “I'd actually like the tickets to read that the prerequisite for my show is tailgating. It's going to get crazy. I'm ADD on stage, you see. Well, not clinically. But I've got 60,000 things going on at the same time. I love this move where I deglaze a pan with alcohol, and flames shoot up. They won't let me do real pyrotechnics in the show—it's not like Metallica concert where fans are standing by—but there will be surprises. I have a T-shirt cannon. Can't really do a rock show without a T-shirt cannon.”
Who’s the Next Guy Fieri? View Our Gallery
Fieri (pronounced Fi-et-ti) is a breathless speaker, exuding an aggressive pep that can border on the manic. It may be a survival technique, given his increasingly grueling media schedule. In addition to his three shows on the Food Network (the pre-taped cooking program Guy's Big Bite, the cross-country eating tour Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and the live studio show Guy Off the Hook), Fieri is embarking on his national tour (in a bus stocked with Pabst Blue Ribbon and painted with flames), promoting his second book (More Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives), pushing his new “Knuckle Sandwich” brand of knives and cookwear, and hosting a syndicated radio show (Food Guy and Marcy).
Though Fieri has been working in food for more than a decade—the native Californian majored in hospitality management at UNLV in 1990 and owns five restaurants, including the odd BBQ-sushi experiment Tex Wasabi's—he came into the Food Network family in 2006, when he won Season 2 of the reality competition The Next Food Network Star. In just three years, he has become the channel's most promising cash cow and trademark male face. He now travels with a bodyguard to events, has bras and underwear thrown at him during cooking demos, and counts Sammy Hagar and members of AC/DC as close friends—no wonder he speaks about himself in rock-star language.
Fieri's meteoric ascent is impressive, but it also makes him one of the culinary world's most polarizing figures. For as many fans as Fieri earns—Dora Long, the creator of Fieri's biggest fan site, says she gets “hundreds of emails a week”—he draws equal detractors. Like Rachael Ray or Emeril Lagasse, Fieri is a food personality who has rapidly outgrown the food, walking the narrow line between technique and celebrity that makes so many in the industry nervous. His recipes have names like “No Can Beato This Taquito,” and “Mac-Daddi-Roni Salad,” and he often effuses about the greasy meals he eats on Diners, Drive-Ins and Drives with his mouth full of nachos or chili dogs—spirited gluttony as entertainment.
The ire from the industry is palpable: At a recent panel at the New York Wine& Food Festival, star chefs David Chang and Anthony Bourdain sat down to “call bullshit” on several aspects of the food world, and singled out Fieri as the enemy. Chang noted Fieri's “douche glasses,” and “stupid f***ing armband,” and he asked Bourdain to “catch me and kick me in the ass” if he ever took on the look. Bourdain gave similarly derisive comments to the press about Fieri, telling TV Guide, “Did you ever see the Simpsons episode where it's decided that Itchy and Scratchy need a sidekick? So a committee gets together and they invent one called Poochie... Guy Fieri kind of looks like he's been designed by committee.”
John Talks Joe
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
The Right Dumps Carrie
Jacob Bernstein is a senior reporter at The Daily Beast. Previously, he was a features writer at WWD and W Magazine. He has also written for New York magazine, Paper, and The Huffington Post.
The Week in Culture
Rachel Syme is culture editor of The Daily Beast.
The Week in Culture
Rachel Syme is culture editor of The Daily Beast.
Eloise at 55
Rachel Syme is culture editor of The Daily Beast.
Maybe I OD'd on Cheetos last night, but I fail to see the Glenn Beck connection.
Nowhere does your article suggest that they share the same political views, (if Beck even knows what "politics" means...) so it must be that they're both white TV personalities? Ooohhh!! Scoop!
Nah, they're both TV personalities with an "over the top" style of delivery who sensationalize everything, whether true or not. Basically, the two are both media whores who have realized that, at least in this day and age, doing everything bigger, faster, and more offensive with more hand gestures equates to greater numbers, even if you lose advertisers. Except Fieri is lucky in that it's much harder to offend enough people to lose advertisers on a food show than it is to lose advertisers on a political show. Oh yeah...and they're both idjuts who appeal to the lowest common denominator...there's that comparison, too.
The only people that Fieri offends are pompous blowhards such as Bourdain (and I guess you "intelligentbydesign"). I've met both and Fieri really is "the nicest guy in the world" as Bobby Moynihan said-and extremely kind. Bourdain, on the other hand, is a self-conscious, annoying jerk with a huge chip on his shoulder. Methinks the hate is just jealousy since it's obvious that Fieri works harder and will (if he hasn't already) make it bigger and have more popularity than Bourdain. Also, and more importantly, Guy's food simply tastes better.
Guy Fieri:Food :: Sammy Hagar:music
sometimes elitism is justified
also: fieri is a moron.
"Oh yeah...and they're both idjuts who appeal to the lowest common denominator...there's that comparison, too."
TFN appears to have lost/runoff all of the 'good' chefs'. Probably because they are too cheap to pay for them.
I'm reminded of the book "The Running Man" if I bother to watch anymore. Everything is reduced to "It's SHOWTIME folks....!!!"
What an insult to Guy. Beck is an idiot.
Guy is the man!!!!! Beck is a retard.
Diners DriveIns and Dives is the best show on Food, in my opinion.
Go Guy!!!
It's too bad that Food network has chased all of the actual chefs off it's network for the catch phrase glutton crowd. Their finest asset, Mario, has been relegated to the odd Iron Chef appearance. Nice guy accolades notwithstanding, I don't think one has to be a snob or an elitest to see that shows like DD&D is a waste of a half hour of ones life. Gluttony isnt all that entertaining to me.
Glenn Beck? He's more like Rachel Ray in my opinion-no technique, no food knowledge, a poor chef. Honestly, he looks dirty and when they do close-ups on him you can see the pores and cuts from shaving on his face and I can't tell you how unappetizing that is. I've seen half a show and all the promos of this Guy that I ever wish to see. It's indicative of the Food Network which has strayed so far from the days of David Rosengarten and other knowledgeable, interesting chefs in favor of BBQ competitions and "Throwdowns" and pigouts and productions that glorify and legitimize gluttony and processed, crap food. Ah, ratings!
The arm band and bleach blond hair may be tired, but his DDD show is great. I makes me want to travel to these local joints and eat great food. What's wrong with that?
As for the comparison to Glen Beck - lame.
Invoking Glenn Beck's name is a sure fire way to get comments.
Guy Fieri belongs in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tqEBQjWRws
The obesity in America will never get solved because people love bad foods, gulping those greasy burgers and nachos or whatever that gross.
And it's called Foodnetwork not chefsnetwork.
I enjoy DDD when I can catch it, mostly as a resource for places to try out.
Some of his picks I loathed once visited, like the bland yet sickening Red Iguana in SLC or the hideous mediocre Beacon Drive-In in Spartanburg SC (to be fair, I visited before DDD put it on the show).
On the other hand his picks of the supertasty Bette's Oceanview Diner in Berkeley and the cheap-but-tasty Penguin Drive-In in Charlotte NC are right on the money.
Guy Fieri is over the top, and I'd rather be watching Alton Brown or admiring Giada De Laurentiis, but his show is worthwhile in terms of spending free time on it.
And while Fieri was wrong about the 'Red Guano', I do believe that he wasn't insanely wrong.
Having eaten at both the Iguana and Betty's, I gotta say whipmawhopma is up in the night. Breakfast at Betty's can be great but sometimes it's just undercooked eggs with jiggly whites. The Iguana is the same. I've had amazing Sunrise Burritos (chile verde burritos topped with fried eggs) on one visit and tough Carnitas on another. Mom and pop restaurants aren't McDonald's. Someone real is in the kitchen and the food isn't perfectly consistent. I have to say though, that the majority of meals at both places have been way better than average. So don't skip the Iguana just because some guy who likes to stare at Giada can't handle the heat!
mamiejane - My wife and grand daughter got sick after eating at the Dread Iguana, though I suffered no harm other than disappointment, as I can handle the heat up to the middling level. Beyond that not so much.
Unfortunately, living in Charlotte, there will be no second chance for me to reappraise the Red Iguana (alone), and I was in SLC rather than SFO as a fluke of air fare pricing. I was hoping for something like the Blue Bonnet Cafe in Denver, but it was not to be so.
I like Bette's not quite so overcooked eggs. Usually they are 'custardy' rather than undercooked in the British style. And these guys will back me up...
http://www.bunrab.com/yummychow/Reviews/SFReviewsFrameset.html
And Bette's bakery next door has an amazing chocolate 'twinkie'. Like something out of God's kitchen. Have you tried it?
Like Beck? Does he cry into the food on his shows?
;>).
Who writes this stuff. Compared to Beck? Please. I like Guy a lot, I like Bourdain a lot but Bourdain's bad boy image he thinks he maintains has morphed into something else clearly ego related. He called Alice Waters Pol Pot in a mumu. Bourdain has lost touch with reality I assume becasue he is a big star and travels with an entourage while Guy is still "off the hook". Whether you like Guys cusine or not he is just a good guy and earning a good living being that person..
LIKE GUY, BUT TRIED ...
Tex Wasabi's and food was inedible. (The folks at the bar pounding down the drinks didn't seem to care though.)
TFN has always been my political free zone, but of course, here comes Michelle Obama on iron chef. so bye bye Food network, I'll guess its back to the history channel.
So you now drop the Beck reference and go with Trailer Park? That's as bad because it's just as inaccurate. Put away the cliche book.
I watch food shows for vicarious gastronomical experiences. 4 or 5 times a year I attempt a sumptuous gourmet home cooked meal. The rest of the time I try to eat whatever is local, fresh and available, supplemented with poor quality selections. I watch Guy because it takes care of 3 things I need: food, sex and community. He is sexy, he makes food fun, he makes DD&D owners/cooks feel wonderful. Since food and sex and fundamental to life, he is Money. At the times I undertake to re-create a true gourmet meal at home, I spend a fortune and a lot of time tracking down ingredients I don't necessarily want again. Food and sex via Guy is less work and more rewarding.
Guy Fieri is sexy? What's your definition of a gourmet meal, I wonder.
Comment flagged.
I fail to see how Anthony Bourdain can criticize Fieri. What's the big difference between Bourdain's show where he travels to Mexico to appreciate a street taco and Fieri's where he does the same about a meatloaf sandwich in a diner on old Route 66?
The difference, as I see it, is that I will actually watch DDD.
Fieri is not a classical chef nor ordinary host. What I love about DD&D is that he hits restaurants that, by and large, refuse to use whatever comes out of bag or can. Consistency might suffer, but at least you have a good idea what's in your meal, and the cook/chefs seem to have genuine pride in their concoctions.
Too many calories? For God's sake, there's no rule that says you have to clean your plates.
Sheesh, it's just a cooking show. Chill.
The thought of the cig sucking, foul-mouthed Bourdain criticizing any cook or chef is a hoot! He's a cook at best since tars, nicotine and related pollutants certainly cannot enhance the ability to taste and season. Though not a particular fan of Fieri, I do enjoy the "inside look" that DD&D affords. It's simple, clean, culinary fun.
Thank you.
As a first time user, your comment has been submitted for review. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a day or two for your comment to be reviewed, depending on the time of week and the volume of comments we receive.
Please log in to leave comments.