Guy Fieri at the 136th Kentucky Derby, 2010

This was Guy Fieri's second trip to Louisville, KY for the Kentucky Derby. With wife Lori and crew including Kleetus and Dirty, Guy hit a few parties on Oaks Day. Referring to the Derby, he said, "of all the big events, this my favorite."

Woodford Reserve hit up the Barnstable Brown Gala on Oaks night. Check out this interview with Guy Fieri. twitvid.com/PMZR9

Derby weekend continued with more parties and, of course, the Run for the Roses. On Friday, April 30, 2010, Greenhouse and Grey Goose presented the Playboy Celebrity Lounge at Prime Lounge in Louisville, KY.

Guy Fieri with Playboy Bunnies

Where Louisville.com reports Guy Fieri spent some impromptu time with Louisville's finest, cranking out a few Minute to Win It games.

Guy Fieri with police officers of Louisville, KY

@louisvillecom - Guy Fieri chats it up with Louisville's finest ping.fm/p/R9u9d
@themayorpete - Guy Fieri partying in Louisville - twitpic.com/1jvgwd

On May 1, 2010, stars walked the red carpet for the 136th Kentucky Derby.

Guy Fieri at the Kentucky Derby, 2010

Guy and Lori Fieri, Kentucky Derby, 2010

Joey Fatone, Guy Fieri and wife, Lori Fieri. 136th KY Derby, 2010

@derbyinsider - Joey Fatone gives Guy Fieri a hard time about not buying a 1K mint julep yet. Pressure is on! yfrog.com/jcujvtj



For pictures of more celebrities at the 2010 Kentucky Derby, click here.

Guy Fieri attracted a cheering crowd while making his way from the red carpet to the the suites, stopping once in response to a picture request saying, “if you’ve got a camera, you can take one now.” Click here for video.

Lori and Guy Fieri

Fox41.com asked Guy Fieri, "Who you got your money on today?" "Well I have the incredible ability to pick the horse who doesn't win. I'm going to pick the horse who I think will win then Lori will pick the opposite horse and that horse will win."



@NEWcountryQ1031 - LIVE from Churchill Downs, Kris here, with Guy Fieri, enjoying the "2 Minutes to Win It." twitpic.com/1k1pwd

See more pictures from LIFE - click here

And to finish out the Derby Day, Guy Fieri and friends hit up one of downtown Louisville's hottest spots, The Sports & Social Club, and took over their kitchen. @SportsAndSocial - @ChefGuyFieri and his crew are cookin it up in the kitchen. DELICIOUS.

@theesamboyd - At dinner with janet jackson, jason "mayhem" miller, brian brohm, guy fieri, joey fatone, and shane andrus. Awesome night

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Guy Fieri hits Louisville, and hits it hard
Guy Fieri to host Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch, 2010
Last few comments about the Derby night 2009

Houston Roller Derby at Triple D taping

In late June, Guy Fieri and the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives filming crew spent a week in Houston, Texas. One of their many stops was at the Red Lion Pub, one of the sponsors for the Houston Roller Derby.

The episode *premiered February 8, 2010* Visit By Request for video and more information.

Houston Roller Derby girls at Red Lion Pub

The group of Roller Derby ladies participated in the taping, but even more fun than that, some of the crew participated in Roller Derby.

Check it out ~

Houston Roller Derby girls and Guy Fieri

Jeremy and Neil, from the DDD filming crew

And many thanks to I Still Hate Pickles for sharing her story and pictures. For more on the story and a few more pictures, visit her blog post.

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Fans travel miles to Diners, Drive-ins and Dives
Making memories in Milwaukee, observations in Ohio

Guy Fieri to attend the Kentucky Derby

For information about Guy's Fieri's 2010 visit to the Kentucky Derby, click here.

(Posted Friday, April 24, 2009) Louisville, Kentucky's Courier-Journal says, "TV chef Guy Fieri is excited about his first Derby."

In her interview with the Press Democrat, Lori sounded excited about it too. The "Run for the Roses" is held at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May.

"But what he really wanted to do as a kid, says Fieri — who is not a small man — was ... wait for it ... become a jockey. Yes, the man who goes coast-to-coast downing Chicago dogs and fiery Texas tamales actually dreamed of riding horses. That is why he's especially excited about coming to Louisville next week to host the inaugural Oaks Bourbon Brunch [reported earlier here]. It will be his first Derby."

What will he make for the brunch? Organizers asked him to make a breakfast, so Fieri will make Stuffed French Toast (recipe). "But he's also threatening to do a bourbon-marinated pork chop. 'I'm a big pork fan, and I'm a big bourbon fan,' he said. 'You know what; I've never done the two of them together. It's such a killer chop. So I'm gonna rock that out.'

And what will he wear? "... the guy who likes to rock the '50s bowling shirts has one question about Derby: 'What's the proper attire, bro?'"

I'm sure I don't know. But here's what Heff wore ...


So here's a suggestion for proper attire for Guy ... ?

Last few comments about the Derby night

Kentucky Derby attendee and Star watcher Kim Meek caught Guy Fieri, his wife Lori and Kevin "Kleetus" Cox at Churchill Downs.


The Courier Journal reported that Guy Fieri called up Amici Café at 7:30 p.m. on Derby night and asked if he could use the kitchen at around 9 p.m. to cook for 30 to 35 people in his party.

Owner Sharon Risinger said he showed up, "walked in the restaurant and came into the kitchen. I was getting ready to run food out and about dropped the plates."

That party also included Joey Fatone (video here), who was whipping up drinks and assisting on the grill and others. The group feasted on veal and chicken, pan seared scallops, tiger shrimp and more and kept the party going until 3:30 a.m.

"It was wild," Risinger said.


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Guy Fieri at the Oaks Bourbon Brunch
Guy Fieri to attend the Kentucky Derby

Guy Fieri hits Louisville, and hits it hard

Oh Thursday the 29th, Guy, his wife Lori and crew flew to Louisville, Kentucky for events surrounding and including the Kentucky Derby.

allison1j - Flying to Louisville on a plane with Guy Fieri. Awesome.

They hit the very popular 4th Street in Louisville; at 4th St I saw Guy Fieri, Joey Fatone, and best of all Aaron Rogers! Green Bay quarterback for all you non fans!

On Friday, April 30, 2010, Guy Fieri hosted the Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch. Click here to see video from the brunch, a few folks playing Minute to Win It games.

Moments Photography - Had a terrific time at the Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch today. Lots of money raised for Home of the Innocents Guy Fieri is nuts and we had so much fun photographing him with all of the wonderful people who came to the event. Thanks so much for inviting us, HOTI!!

HOTI = "Home of the Innocents." Word on the street is that the food was amazing and the drinks were great. Had a blast.

inmodeerin - Excellent day at the Oaks Brunch this morning! Guy Fieri was hilarious!

justaddbourbon - Guy Fieri whipping up some Bourbon Caramel sauce for the oaks brunch French toast only in bourbon country

gotolouisville - Guy Fieri rode in on a motorcycle right to my table and toasted the crowd with Evan Williams.

Aaron Beverly - is working at Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch with guest chef, Guy Fieri. Crowd was tough, but he played to the crowd well. Fun times. ... He was a lot of fun. Especially when he grabbed Paul Zinner's camera and gave Paul the bottle of bourbon. Bottom's up!

After the bourbon brunch, Guy Fieri visited Kosair Children's Hospital.

reddbonepretty - Just met Celeb Chef Guy Fieri he's making room to room visit at Kosair's Children Hospital how wonderful!

Shatonya Jackson - Destiny and I just took a picture with Guy Fieri my favorite Food Network cook. Its so nice that people take the time to visit Kosair

And Guy Fieri finished out a busy day at an outdoor concert with 3 Doors Down and attending (and MC'ing?) at the Barnstable Brown Gala.

3doorsdownrock - Backstage in Louisville, KY with celeb chef Guy Fieri and support band Ugly. Good times!

I'm sure there will be plenty more stories and pictures from the Kentucky Derby weekend to come.

More later.

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Guy Fieri to host Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch, 2010
Fans give back and connect with Guy Fieri
Pictures from the Kentucky Derby 2009

Cooking with Kids and a Day at the Races

Guy Fieri was in New York recently and sat down with The FN Dish to talk about the Guy Fieri Cooking With Kids Foundation. FN Dish: You started your Cooking With Kids Foundation about a year and a half ago. Tell me more about it.

GF: So we’ve done a couple different things. First, we had about 20 kids come into one of my restaurants and had them cook. However, back in January, we brought 100 junior-high students together, mentored them, and while they were cooking we shot it for Food Network webisodes. In my career, I love Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, I love Guy’s Big Bite — I love all the shows that I’ve shot, but this has been the high point of my career. It brought tears to my eyes.

We approached the California State Legislature with a bill that would declare every second Saturday in May “Cook With Kids Day.” It passed and I was just elated. It meant that everyone — chefs, restaurateurs, schools, businesses — would have to focus on kids for one day. We took it one step further with our legislative friends and now Cooking With Kids Day takes place every week on Sundays.

Read the full article here.

-----------------------------------------------

Guy Fieri spent the weekend in Louisville, KY, hosting a brunch, attending the Barnstable Brown gala and the 137th Kentucky Derby, 2011.

*Uploaded by triciajoy1 on May 6, 2011*
This was taken on May 6 at the Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch which supports Kosair Children's Hospital, Kentucky and Southern Indiana's only full-service, free-standing children's hospital. More than 120,000 children are treated at Kosair Children's each year regardless of a family's ability to pay. He also has a special message at the end for my sister, Deana Blevins, who couldn't make it to the brunch because she was in Nashville getting a chemo treatment.



The BourbonBlog caught up with Guy Fieri on the red carpet on the night before the Derby.


View video

Check out more Guy Fieri interviews at www.bourbonblog.com.

--------------------------------

And TheFunShop posted a video rave review of Guy Fieri's new cookbook, Guy Fieri Food. Click here to view.

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Guy Fieri, video at Derby
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Round up of recent Guy Fieri news, May 2011

Examiner.com asked Guy Fieri a few questions about hjis new cookbook, "Guy Fieri Food." Examiner: Tell us about your upcoming appearances on this book tour.

Guy Fieri: "We’re going to be rocking for the next few days. We’re on our way to the Today show right now, and Rachael Ray, Nate Berkus, The View; we’ve got a couple of book signings out in New Jersey, a variety of interviews, Sirius Radio—you name it, man; It’s gonna be jam-packed. And then we bounce out on Thursday to the Kentucky Derby to a fundraising event for a children’s hospital, then the Derby, and back home to Cali."

For the full article, click here.

On NBC, Guy Fieri has a Pork Party on top of a roof in New York City.

View more videos at: http://www.nbcbayarea.com.

Guy Fieri hit up The Today Show for a little Surf n' Turf



And Guy stopped by Bookends in New Jersey for a signing.



And today, May 5, Guy Fieri is scheduled to cook up a Cinco de Mayo feast on "The View," with Parks and Recreation star Amy Poehler and the cast of Broadway's Sister Act.

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Video: Guy Fieri interview on knives, plus more
Teaser recipes from "Guy Fieri Food"

Guy Fieri at Celebrity Softball Game

Guy Fieri was one of many entertainment and sports celebrities to play in the Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game*, Sunday, July 11, 2010 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA.

Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Gary Carter, Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage, Rickey Henderson, Paul Molitor, Ozzie Smith and Dave Winfield are expected to play, while celebrities scheduled to participate include Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Tracy Morgan (30 Rock), Billy Bob Thornton (actor), James Denton (Desperate Housewives), Jennie Finch (USA gold medal softball player), Mario Lopez (Extra host) and Maria Menounos (Access Hollywood host).

(source)

Celebrity newcomers included supermodel Marissa Miller, celebrity chef Guy Fieri and actor Michael Clarke Duncan, perhaps best known for his starring role in the film adaptation of "The Green Mile." Duncan, though, didn't win the size prize. That went to Quinton Aaron, star of the Oscar-nominated film, "The Blind Side."

"Let's just put this together. I'm going to get out there and Ricky Henderson is going to hit at me. Nice!" Guy said. "That's fantastic. But I'm a fan of the game, so this is awesome. We're meeting the greats, and we get to play ball with them."

(source)

Guy Fieri, the busiest guy in television these days, for even I recognize him from the fine work he does on the Food Network, as well as his excellent hosting of ... what's that reality show ... oh, "The Dumb Stuff Dumb People Do," or something along those lines.

Fieri can hit, of that there is no doubt. Hitting is about 90% confidence and 10% luck, and this guy has plenty of both.

(source)

MLB's All Star Weekend is expected to raise $5 million for national charities. The celebrity softball game is scheduled to air on ESPN tonight, Monday, July 12, 2010 at 8pm ET, right after the State Farm Home Run Derby.

*Update*
Christina Macaulay interviews Guy Fieri from the food Networks "Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives." Watch the man who makes our mouths water coast-to-coast warm up in the batting cage at the MLB All Star Celebrity Game to help kids for Make A Wish.



Related Posts:
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Guy Fieri at the 136th Kentucky Derby, 2010
Guy Fieri and others raise money for C-CAP

pass it on, http://bit.ly/aQMC02
*submitted photos

Random recent photographs

SOBE producer Lee Schrager and Guy Fieri, February 19, 2009

Guy Fieri with ProStart Students, April 25, 2009

Lori and Guy Fieri at the Kentucky Derby, May 2, 2009

Guy Fieri at the WE Garden event, May 21, 2009

Guy Fieri and girls at the Food & Music Fest, June 13, 2009

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Results from Prostart Competition
Last few comments about the Derby night
WE Garden in Capitol Park
Guy Fieri at the Shoreline Amphitheater

Guy Fieri, video at Derby

See also July 16th, 2009 "Podcast Interview with Guy Fieri" and May 3rd, 2009 "Guy Fieri at the Marriot Oaks Bourbon Brunch Benefiting Home of the Innocents"

Derby Day, 2010 via BourbonBlog.com


*Link to video*

Guy Fieri's Stuffed French Toast

*For the Bananas Foster French Toast recipe from Surrey's Cafe as seen on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, click here*

I received a lot of email requests to find the Stuffed French Toast recipe from Guy's Big Bite. The episode aired on June 21, 2009. The recipe is hard to find because it isn't labeled as french toast - it's called Fieri - 4. Since we're nigh on the Fourth of July holiday, consider adding blueberries! And you'll have a festive and patriotic-looking brunch.

I recall seeing on a Food Network holiday special that this is one of Hunter's (Guy's son) favorite breakfasts.


Guy Fieri's Stuffed French Toast
(a.k.a. Fieri - 4)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 (2-inch) thick slices bread
2 bananas, very thinly sliced
1 cup strawberries, very thinly sliced
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Maple syrup

Directions:

Combine milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
For assembly, spread a thin layer of the cream cheese onto 1 side of the bread slices. Top half the slices with the fruit. Place another piece of bread on top, cream cheese side down, creating a sandwich.
Preheat a griddle to 350 degrees F. Lightly brush with the butter.
Give the milk mixture a quick stir, and dip the sandwiches into the batter, coating all sides.
Place on the griddle. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, then turn on the edges and cook to brown evenly.
To serve, slice sandwiches in half on the diagonal and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with maple syrup.

Total Cook Time - 9 min
Level - Easy
Yield - 4 servings

Related Posts:
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Message to Guy Fieri from Coral Ehret ...

This young lady wins the "Dorable Award" for the year! "Message to Guy Fieri from Coral Ehret, stroke survivor, and Guy's #1 fan"


*Link to video*

Join guests from around the world for this multi-course Oaks morning brunch that will showcase bourbon-infused and traditional Kentucky dishes prepared by Guy Fieri, who is known for his culinary and comedic entertainment during the program.

Hosted by honorary chairs John and Janet Conti, the event will also feature a mix of live auction items from Kentucky Derby themed baskets to gourmet dining packages and vacation packages. As a bonus, Fieri has been known to auction off everything from the utensils he uses to mix in the bourbon, to the stovetop on which he cooks and even the sunglasses he wears.


Your support of the Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch directly supports Kosair Children's Hospital, Kentucky and Southern Indiana's only full-service, free-standing children's hospital. More than 120,000 children are treated at Kosair Children's each year regardless of a family's ability to pay.

Purchase Tickets, or get more information.

Related Posts:
Win tix to Guy Fieri Brunch in Louisville
Guy Fieri to host 2011 Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch, Louisville KY
The Guy Fieri Foundation's Pretzel Cart Project

-> more Guy Fieri Upcoming Events <-

Pictures from the Kentucky Derby

Guy and Lori Fieri

Guy Fieri

Before the races, Guy Fieri said "you can't beat a hot brown."

His trip to Louisville made him want to come back for his television show. "When you find a town with a lot of culture," he said, "diners usually follow."

The night before the races, he ate at Vincenzo's. (not a diner)

"We had some pasta," Fieri said. "We had some Caesar salad."

He said he was going to bet on horses No. 3 and No. 12 -- Mr. Hot Stuff and General Quarters -- after his children's ages.
(source)

Too bad he didn't bet on Mine That Bird, eh? at 50:1 -- Yowsers!

Guy Fieri to host Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch, 2010

For the second year, Guy Fieri is set to host the Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch, held in Louisville, Kentucky, April 30, 2010, the day before the Derby. The event includes a silent auction, brunch and a live auction, 8:00 - 10:30 a.m.

The Marriott Louisville Downtown is hosting the 2nd annual Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch. VIP Table of 10 - $2,000, table of 10 - $1,250, individual tickets - $125. For more information about the event, visit http://www.oaksbourbonbrunch.com/, contact Ina Miller at (502) 596-1016 or email imiller@homeoftheinnocents.org.

Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch - Our brunch is going to be great - not only will you get delicous food from recipes created and demonstrated by Guy Fieri, you'll have a chance to purchase the appliances Guy uses at the event at our live auction thanks to Lowe's!

Proceeds from this event will benefit Louisville-based Home of the Innocents. A private, non-profit agency in operation for 130 years that served almost 2,000 children last year, The Home assists those who are facing severe crisis, including children who have been abused, abandoned or neglected, medically fragile children and provides support services for children with autism.

For more, visit Home of the Innocents.

Related Posts:
The BourbonBlog interviews Guy Fieri, about ... bourbon!
Charity auctions and appearances
Guy Fieri at the Oaks Bourbon Brunch 2009

Fans of Guy Fieri - 2009

I thought the last post of the year should be about the fans.

The most interesting thing about this blog has been all the emails I've received with comments and questions about Guy Fieri and his comings and goings. It was, in large part, due to these emails why I put together Guy Fieri FAQ's, the most popular, looked-at and googled post in this blog.

- What Fans are asking about -
About half of the questions I receive have something to do with Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. People are looking for video clips and recipes from shows that have already aired, and they're looking for more information on local restaurants where Guy has taped, but those segments haven't yet aired. They want to know where Guy has been, what he ate and where he's going to tape next.

- Most popular Triple D cities and states -
Houston, by a wide 3:1 ratio
Buffalo, a distant second
Alaska, Hawaii, Illinois and Arizona follow in search popularity
Speaking of Illinois, The Shanty wins the most-searched single restaurant award for 2009.

- What Guy Fieri wears -
Second to DDD questions, people want to know what Guy Fieri is wearing. Guy's shirts are the most common question. Were I in the marketing business, I'd encourage him to develop a clothing line. Second to shirts, people want to know about his sunglasses, watches and rings. To date, no questions about his socks. Haha.

- Guy's wife, children, family and friends -
The third most popular set of questions relate to Guy's family. Daily, someone is looking for pictures of Lori Fieri. Hunter is a popular search too, followed by Ryder, Guy's sister Morgan and Guy's parents.

- Recipes -
30% of all people who visit this blog are looking for a recipe. The most popular search of 2009? Anything that has to do with Wilson's BBQ.

If I have a goal for this blog in 2010, it will be to document more thoroughly the recipes and episodes of Guy's Big Bite. The popularity of Triple D rubs a little shine off my favorite of Guy's shows.

- Most popular pictures of 2009 -
1. Guy Fieri's garage after DIY's Garage Mahal overhaul - view
2. Guy Fieri holding his baby son, Ryder - view
3. Map of the Guy Fieri Road Show, 2009 - view
4. Guy and Lori Fieri at the Kentucky Derby, 2009 - view

- Where do Guy Fieri fans live? -
95% of this blog's visitors live in the United States
4% are Canadian
and the other 1% live in other countries.

In the United States, Californians are the #1 visitors, with New York and Texas, Illinois and Pennsylvania rounding out the top five.

- How many visitors? -
On average, this blog had 16,000 visitors each month in 2009. And my companion blog, Fans of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, had almost 30,000.

Thank you for reading, and continue to write in to me. I so enjoy the friends I've made through this blog. Best to you and yours for a brilliant, safe and successful 2010.

A message from T-Bone Tom's

To view all the restaurants Guy Fieri visited nearby T-Bone Tom's, click here.

T-Bone Tom's Steakhouse

707 Highway 146
Kemah, TX 77565
(281) 334-2133
www.tbonetoms.com

T-Bone Tom's episode airs on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives on November 23, 2009.
Burgers, Steaks and Chops

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Places Guy went to in Houston, Texas for DDD
Pix from Infineon Raceway and dinner in Houston

Guy Fieri at the Oaks Bourbon Brunch 2009

... where Guy Fieri finally explains why he wears the sunglasses on the back of his head ... and comments on the enduring culture of the Kentucky Derby.


Oaks Bourbon Brunch with Food Network's Guy Fieri - Watch more amazing videos here

(source)

Win tix to Guy Fieri Brunch in Louisville

Guy is serving brunch at the 3rd annual Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch in Louisville KY, benefiting Kosair Children’s Hospital. Win tickets to the brunch by attending Louisville Magazine launch on April 6, 2011 at Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse, 325 W. Main St.

Louisville Magazine

The event is free and open to the public, with free appetizers, the Jeff Ruby "Paparazzi" drink special, and a chance to win two tickets to the Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch, featuring Chef Guy Fieri.

The winner will be drawn and announced at the launch party.

Visit Louisville.com for more.

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Guy Fieri to host 2011 Marriott Oaks Bourbon Brunch, Louisville KY
Guy Fieri at the 136th Kentucky Derby, 2010
The Guy Fieri Foundation's Pretzel Cart Project

His Wife's View

A wife's view of celebrity chef Guy Fieri

Lori Fieri
CHRISTOPHER CHUNG / The Press Democrat

Posted by The Press Democrat, CA on April 06, 2009 at 11:20:49:

Wife's view of celebrity chef Guy Fieri
Sonoma Stories
By CHRIS SMITH
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT


Lori Fieri isn’t complaining, though it is a school day and once again her husband, the father of their two boys, is ... Where was Guy that day?

He was in New York, shooting for one of his three Food Network shows, “Guy’s Big Bite.” The plan is for him to be home in Santa Rosa for five straight days and then fly off for about five days to make some of TV’s most popular food shows. His “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” is the Food Network’s most-watched program.

But Guy Fieri’s schedule is crazy, with endorsement commercials and celebrity appearances with David Letterman and Jay Leno and such. As a result, his time away sometimes stretches to two weeks.

“I miss him. The kids miss him. That’s no secret,” Lori, 38, said in the kitchen of the couple’s upgraded 1940s ranch-style westside home.

“Is it hard? Yes. I try to be really careful to not be too sad. We chose this for our family right now.”

From the beginning three years ago, when the half-tamed restaurateur she’d married first caused a sizzle among the star-seekers at Food Network, Lori encouraged him to go for it.

First-born son Hunter was 9 and his brother Ryder was well on the way, when in the fall of 2005, the Fieris received a phone call they’ll never forget.

A seat-of-the-pants audition video Guy had submitted to “The Next Food Network Star” competition had been well received. The caller invited him to come to New York for three weeks that December and compete as a semi-finalist.

Lori remembers Guy telling her that he wasn’t going to go. She was pregnant and Christmas was coming and Guy knew he shouldn’t be gone that long from his and partner Steve Gruber’s restaurants — Johnny Garlic’s, Tex Wasabe’s and Russell Ramsay’s Chop House. And, really, what was the chance the Food Network contest would come to anything anyway?

Lori recalls looking him in the eye. “I said, ‘Listen, this is the opportunity of a lifetime. If you don’t try, you’ll never know. You need to go.’”

So Guy jetted off to the Big Apple. Over the course of three frenetic weeks in front of cameras, he rose to the top of the high-stress battle of wit and kitchen smarts like the fat in a cooled pork stew.

When Guy returned home from New York three days before Christmas in 2005, “he knew he was in the final two, but he couldn’t tell me,” Lori said.

Ryder was born that Dec. 31, and four months later the entire family, plus Guy’s parents, traveled to New York for the liberally hyped show that would announce “The Next Food Network Star.” Lori was standing on the set behind uber-chef Emeril Lagasse when he opened The Envelope and she saw her husband’s name.

“If I could go back and relive that whole experience again, I would,” she said. “It was such a high.”

The three-year run since then has been quite the rocket ride. Guy, with his spiky bleached hair, tattoos, backward sunglasses, Italian cook’s heart and brisk-bubbling personality, has quickly become one of America’s most-recognized TV talents.

Lori, who grew up in North Providence, R.I., with a dad who’s a toolmaker and a mom who cleans houses, makes no bones about the fun it’s been to adjust to the VIP treatment — the special seats at the Super Bowl and at NASCAR, along with the limo rides. There has been a constant flow of barbecues and knives and assorted cooking technology whose makers are eager for Guy to give them a test drive.

“We’re going the Kentucky Derby this year,” Lori said.

Of course, the income that Guy, 41, earns for the Food Network shows and the T.G.I. Friday’s commercials and all has been very nice. The Fieris have stashed college money for Hunter and Ryder and made some sweet improvements to the comfortable but unglitzy suburban Santa Rosa house they bought in 1997.

Lori assumes people may think Guy’s fame has made them wealthier than they are, just as some think that restaurant owners are more flush than most are.

“Are we living rich and famous? Absolutely not,” she said.

More than anything, she has savored watching as the ambitious and laugh-loving restaurant manager she met when she was 22 on her first visit to California seizes the opportunity the Food Network gave him to show the world what he can cook up.

“It’s not like you took a hermit couch potato and turned him into a rock star,” Lori said.

“He’s always been Guy. We’ve always had the same obnoxious friends. He’s just taken it to the next level.”

The BourbonBlog interviews Guy Fieri, about ... bourbon!

Click the link below to listen to a podcast intervew from The BourbonBlog.


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Guy Fieri to attend the Kentucky Derby
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