Guy Fieri Wants to be a Super Chef

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Superchefblog spoke to Guy Fieri, the season two winner of The Next Food Network Star on the Food Network. Guy's Big Bite, a half-hour series on Sundays at 10:00 a.m., started yesterday, June 25, 2006. Guy's Big Bite is what Food Network founder and former president of CNN, Reese Schonfeld, would call a "dump and stir" cooking show -- that is, Guy in front of the camera, in a "home" kitchen, putting together a meal. Episodes include recipes such as Bloody Mary Steak, Tater Tots, a grilled Romaine salad. Guy is a fast talking, bleached-blond, spiked-haired, owner of four restaurants in Sonoma County, California. He's Emeril Lagasse meets Rachael Ray -- with a bit of Bobby Flay tossed in. Whether that constitutes a re-hash or an original dish, you can judge for yourself in part by watching his new show. Guy described his new show to Superchfeblog: I never wanted to get stuck with one ethnicity. I am not trying to do crazy food, garlic parmesan tater tot -- when was the last time you had a tater tot? You feed them to your kids. But these are great. It is about no boundaries, big flavor, bold flavor, easy to do techniques and style. And the title comes from...? "Big" is one of my mottos. "Go big, or go home!" is the motto of my barbecue team. Everything I do, I do to an extreme. If I am in it, I do it big. It is not that I am trying to be an extremist, but I have just on and off. Guy's signature look is an arm band. In the first show he has a thick, black arm band strapped around his forearm, matching the one his nine-year old son, Hunter wears. He explained: I wear a reggae. I am trying to find a pink one to support breast cancer research. Emeril has "Bam!" I have an arm band. He sees himself as edgier and racier than Emeril or Bobby, appealing to Generation X. Guy has plans to be a Super Chef, with a cookbook, a line of products that are based on his work in restaurants since he was 12 years old. His mentors include his father who used to take him up to the family cabin, and play a game, challenging him to come up with dinner. He would give him a piece of chicken and he would have to fix dinner with whatever was in the cupboards. He says both his parents are great cooks and an exchange trip to France taught him about the basis of American food. His father now works for him in construction and maintenance for his four restaurants. Another mentor is Kenny Bernstein: Kenny Bernstein is a world champion drag racer. I am really into drag racing: Kenny is the King. He needs money, so he has a chain of 26 restaurants. His advice to me was: restaurants could be a good vehicle, but don't let it take hold of you. Stay tuned to see just how big Guy Fieri can get. Related news: CBM Early Morning St. Louis Post-Dispatch San Francisco Chronicle - Culture Blog San Jose Mercury News Chicago Tribune Seattle Weekly Previous articles: Next Food Network Star Winner 2 Winner of Next Food Network Star Next Food Network Star's Multimedia Blitz [Food Television - complete] Technorati Tags: superchefblog, Juliette Rossant, super chef, celebrities, chefs, food, restaurants, cooking, branding, cuisine, blogging, food blogging --> back to superchefblog