guy fieri Archives - Sonoma Magazine https://www.sonomamag.com/tag/guy-fieri/ Things to do in Sonoma County Wed, 13 Aug 2025 22:05:36 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.1 https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/smagicon-150x150.png guy fieri Archives - Sonoma Magazine https://www.sonomamag.com/tag/guy-fieri/ 32 32 Guy Fieri’s Favorite Sonoma County Restaurants https://www.sonomamag.com/all-the-sonoma-county-restaurants-guy-fieri-has-visited-on-diners-drive-ins-dives/ https://www.sonomamag.com/all-the-sonoma-county-restaurants-guy-fieri-has-visited-on-diners-drive-ins-dives/#disqus_thread Tue, 12 Aug 2025 16:30:59 +0000 https://www.sonomamag.com/biteclub/?p=40157

Guy Fieri loves giving extra props to his fellow restaurateurs. Check out the local restaurants he featured on “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives.”

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Guy Fieri may be a household name across the country, but he’ll always be Santa Rosa’s native son. Sonoma County is where he launched his first restaurants and where his philanthropic spirit continues to shine. Still living and working in the area, Fieri is known for supporting fellow local restaurateurs — and giving them a national spotlight on his hit Food Network show “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives.”

For many, that kind of exposure brings a major boost in business and lasting recognition. If you’re visiting one of these featured spots, keep an eye out — Fieri’s flashy signature is often hidden somewhere inside, a fun little Easter egg for fans to discover.

La Texanita Restaurant, Santa Rosa

Craving an authentic taste for his “Global Grub” episode in season seven, Fieri went to La Texanita Restaurant in Santa Rosa. “So simple, but so good,” he said of the carne asada tacos. “I’m telling you something, there’s just nothing that can beat that handmade tortilla.” Some other Fieri favorites include the posole, sopes and huaraches. 1667 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, 707-525-1905, latexanita.com

A molcajete and margarita from Taqueria Molcajetes, a Mexican taqueria in Santa Rosa that was featured on Guy Fieri's Food Network series "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" for its smoking-hot Molcajete Mixto. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat, file)
A molcajete and margarita from Taqueria Molcajetes, a Mexican taqueria in Santa Rosa that was featured on Guy Fieri’s Food Network series “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” for its smoking-hot Molcajete Mixto. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat, file)

Taqueria Molcajetes, Santa Rosa

Fieri highlighted numerous dishes at Santa Rosa’s Taqueria Molcajetes for his “Regional Recipes” episode in season 29, including its signature Molcajete Mixto as well as the taquitos, burritos, tacos pastor and chile verde. He called this Mexican restaurant off West College Avenue “without question, one of the best Mexican food experiences I have ever had.” 1195 W College Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-544-8280

Guy Fieri tries blueberry pancakes at Hank's Creekside in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Guy Fieri tries blueberry pancakes at Hank’s Creekside in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Hank’s Creekside Restaurant, Santa Rosa

The traditional breakfast and brunch spot Hank’s Creekside Restaurant in Santa Rosa was featured in the “House Specials” episode in season one. Fieri tried the blueberry pancakes with corn beef hash. “It’s basic, it’s simple, but it’s money,” he said. He also mentions the eggs Benedict and cinnamon-walnut French toast. 2800 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-575-8839, hanks-creekside.com

Simply Vietnam Express, Santa Rosa

Serving up the unique flavors of Vietnam, Santa Rosa’s Simply Vietnam Express was featured in the “Meaty Mashup” episode in season 29, where Fieri praised its combination pho. “Oh my goodness. It’s light, refreshing, but the depth of flavors is outstanding,” he said. “It’s everything I wanted it to be.” 3381 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-544-4585, simplyvietnamexpress.com

Bo Kho, Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew, by chef Be Nguyen of Simply Vietnam in Santa Rosa in 2018. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Bo Kho, Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew, by chef Be Nguyen of Simply Vietnam in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Korean Burrito with Marin sun Farms ground beef marinated with soy, brown sugar, garlic and ginger, Korean BBQ sauce, avocado, mint cilantro, pickled daikon and carrot, organic brown rice, and kimchi at Zoftig in Santa Rosa. (Chris Hardy/For Sonoma Magazine)
Korean Burrito with ground beef marinated with soy, brown sugar, garlic and ginger, Korean barbecue sauce, avocado, mint cilantro, pickled daikon and carrot, organic brown rice, and house kimchi at Zoftig in Santa Rosa. (Chris Hardy/For Sonoma Magazine)

Zoftig Eatery, Santa Rosa

Featured on the “From Big Burgers to Little Italy” episode in season 29, Zoftig Eatery is a contemporary restaurant serving up healthy fare. Fieri tried the Korean burrito, stuffed with marinated Stemple Creek Ranch beef, house kimchi, brown rice and veggies. “I’m going to drown in my own drool,” he said before chomping down on the burrito. 57 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-521-9554, zoftigeatery.com

Tiramisu at Cafe Citti in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Tiramisu at Cafe Citti in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)

Cafe Citti, Santa Rosa

Before it moved locations from Kenwood to Santa Rosa, Fieri featured Cafe Citti in the “Bringin’ It Home” episode in season nine as well as the “Amazing Italian” episode in season 21. Fieri enjoyed the Italian trattoria’s classic Polenta ai Funghi Porcini, and he called the ravioli an “orchestra of flavors.” 2792 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-523-2690, cafecitti.com

Sunflower Caffe, Sonoma

Sonoma’s Sunflower Caffe, a popular breakfast destination, was featured in the “From Mozz to Matzo Balls” episode in season 11. Fieri sampled the borscht and feta lamb burger. “That’s like the [most] luscious lamb burger,” he said. “Seriously, one of the best I’ve tried.” 421 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-996-6645, sonomasunflower.com

Avocado toast from Sunflower Caffe in Sonoma. (Sunflower Caffe)
Avocado toast from Sunflower Caffe in Sonoma. (Sunflower Caffe)
The outdoor seating area at Russian River Pub in Forestville. (Russian River Pub)
The outdoor seating area at Russian River Pub in Forestville. (Russian River Pub)

Russian River Pub, Forestville

Russian River Pub is a regular go-to for Fieri, who first featured the restaurant in the “American Cookin’” episode in season one. Fieri’s favorite dishes include the pub burger, seared ahi tuna salad and beef tri-tip sandwich. But it’s the crispy, juicy chicken wings that he calls “some of the best-tasting wings in the nation.” Fieri featured the pub again in the “Takeout: Bold Bites Brought Home” episode in season 32, and a third time in the Triple D Nation spinoff in the “California Comfort” episode. 11829 River Road, Forestville, 707-887-7932, russianriverpub.com

Ten-layer lasagna at Catelli's in Geyserville. (Chris Hardy/for Sonoma Magazine)
Ten-layer lasagna at Catelli’s in Geyserville. (Chris Hardy/for Sonoma Magazine)

Catelli’s, Geyserville

Catelli’s was featured in the “Bar Food and Bon Bons” episode in season 12. Fieri said the ravioli, made in-house from scratch, was “memorably great” and he couldn’t get enough of the beef meatball sliders. Fieri featured the California-inspired Italian restaurant in three other episodes of “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” and its spinoff show “Triple D Nation.” 21047 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 707-857-3471, mycatellis.com

Changed concepts and/or management

Cochon Volant BBQ Smoke House (now Il Fuoco Pizza), Sonoma

Also featured in the “Meaty Mashup” episode was Sonoma’s former Cochon Volant BBQ Smoke House (now Il Fuoco Pizza). Fieri praised the spicy fried chicken, calling it “a chef’s fried chicken.” He also has a namesake dish on the menu — the WTF (What The Fieri) Burger — a seared beef patty topped with 14-hour smoked brisket, smoked pork shoulder, house-cured maple bacon, a fried chipotle pork cake, cheddar cheese and housemade barbecue sauce. While Cochon Volant switched to pizza-focused Il Fuoco in 2021, chef Rob Larman still offers catering and serves barbecue during weekend pop-ups at the restaurant. 18350 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, 707-509-5480, cochonvolantbbq.com, ilfuocopizza.com

Cochon Volant BBQ is a Guy Fieri favorite
Customers order baby back ribs, sausage, pork shoulder, short ribs and beef brisket by the pound to create their mixed platter at the Cochon Volant BBQ Smoke House in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Turkey Scallopini at The Bird in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Press Democrat)
Turkey Scallopini at The Bird in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Press Democrat)

Willie Bird’s Restaurant (now The Bird), Santa Rosa

Known for serving up turkey in a wide variety of ways, Willie Bird’s (now The Bird) was featured on the “Talkin’ Turkey” episode in season two. Fieri was impressed with the turkey stroganoff served in a creamy sauce with sautéed mushrooms.

The Santa Rosa Avenue restaurant closed in 2021, sold to new owners and was then reborn as The Bird in Rincon Valley, featuring a revamped yet still turkey-centric menu. The original location is now a Mountain Mike’s Pizza4776 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-542-0861, thebirdrestaurant.com

Jimtown and Then Sum
Shrimp and pork shumai from dim sum specialist Michelle Wood, the new owner of Jimtown Store, at her home in Santa Rosa, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)

Jimtown Store (now Jimtown and Then Sum), Healdsburg

In the “Porktastic” episode in season 11, Fieri featured Healdsburg’s historic Jimtown Store, a quaint café in a rustic country store tucked away in the vineyards of Alexander Valley. “Big, deep flavor in the brisket,” Fieri said of the smoked brisket sandwich. “Sauce is no joke, you get that little back kick of the bourbon.”

Jimtown Store closed at the end of 2019 and reopened as Jimtown and Then Sum in June 2025 under chef Michelle Wood. The reimagined Jimtown now focuses on dim sum as well as spring rolls, poke bowls, banh mi and traditional deli sandwiches. Jimtown remains a fitting eatery for the “Poktastic” episode, as our dining editor loves the pork shumai and barbecue pork bao buns on the current menu. 6706 Highway 128, Healdsburg, 707-756-5022, jimtown.com

Closed

Worth Our Weight (Now Closed), Santa Rosa

The nonprofit Worth Our Weight culinary training program and bistro (located on Hahman Drive where Pascaline French Bistro is now) was featured in the “Funky Finds” episode in season 11. Fieri noted it as a “one-of-a-kind experience,” and the Guy Fieri Foundation donated a pretzel cart to the culinary program/restaurant. Worth Our Weight executive director Evelyn Cheatham announced the closing of the culinary training program for at-risk young adults in 2018 after struggling to find funding. Cheatham died in November 2019.

Worth Our Weight executive director Evelyn Cheatham announced the culinary training program for at-rish young adults will close after struggling to find funding. Cheatham plans to travel the world and sleep in more. (photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Worth Our Weight executive director Evelyn Cheatham announced in 2018 the culinary training program and bistro for at-risk young adults will close after struggling to find funding. Cheatham died in November 2019. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Guy Fieri's Johnny Garlic’s
Before Johnny Garlic’s closed in 2018, Fieri featured his own restaurant chain on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” At the restaurant’s Santa Rosa location in 2012, he showed viewers how the restaurant makes Sashimi Won Tacos and Garlic-Onion Tortilla Stack. (Kent Porter/ The Press Democrat, file)

Johnny Garlic’s (Now Closed), Santa Rosa

Before it closed in 2018, Fieri featured his own restaurant in the “Unexpected Eats” episode in season 14. The restaurant had a fusion of Mexican, Italian, Asian and Cajun dishes on the menu, and on his show Fieri highlighted the eatery’s Sashimi Won Tacos dressed in eel sauce, which won gold at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair.

Zazu Kitchen + Farm (Now Closed), Sebastopol

Farm-to-table establishment Zazu Kitchen + Farm was featured on the “From Sandwiches to Stroganoff” episode in season 29. Fieri loved the Bacon-in-the-Batter Waffle along with the quality, freshness and portion sizes of the restaurant’s dishes. Zazu closed in 2019 after a flood damaged the restaurant and surrounding businesses in Sebastopol’s The Barlow. Owners Duskie Estes and John Stewart continue to operate their Black Pig Meat Co. food truck and catering business.

The now-closed Zazu Kitchen + Farm in Sebastopol. (Chris Hardy)
The now-closed Zazu Kitchen + Farm in Sebastopol. (Chris Hardy)
Schellville Grill on Broadway at Highway 121. (Photo by Robbi Pengelly/Index-Tribune)
The now-closed Schellville Grill on Broadway at Highway 121 in Sonoma. (Robbi Pengelly/Index-Tribune)

Schellville Grill (Now Closed), Sonoma

Sonoma’s Schellville Grill was featured on the “Grilled, Smoked and Sauced” episode in season nine. Fieri tried the buckaroo sandwich with Mexican Achoté chicken on a brioche roll and the tri-tip sandwich smothered in a special barbecue sauce. It had “the right amount of smoke,” he said. Schellville Grill owner Matthew Nagan sold the restaurant in 2020.

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Guy Fieri Is Hosting A Free Super Bowl LIX Tailgate In New Orleans https://www.sonomamag.com/guy-fieri-is-hosting-a-free-super-bowl-lix-tailgate-in-new-orleans/ Thu, 06 Feb 2025 00:04:09 +0000 https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=122062

The celebrity chef is bringing his signature high-energy tailgate party back for Big Game Weekend, this time taking over Mardi Gras World in New Orleans.

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Celebrity chef and longtime Sonoma County resident Guy Fieri is bringing his signature high-energy tailgate party back for Big Game Weekend, this time taking over Mardi Gras World in New Orleans.

The third annual “Guy’s Flavortown Tailgate” kicks off at noon Sunday, offering football fans a mix of food, music and entertainment ahead of the biggest game of the year. The best part: general admission is $0. (But hurry up; tickets are going fast.) 

“We’re talking a free event for over 10,000 fans, a real deal celebration of food, football and fun, right in the heart of the action,” Fieri said. 

Since launching in Arizona in 2023 and taking over Las Vegas in 2024, the tailgate has cemented itself as a can’t-miss pre-game event. Each year, it draws thousands of fans and features appearances from sports and entertainment stars. Past editions have welcomed athletes like Eli Manning and Chad Johnson, alongside performances from Diplo, Flavor Flav and Dustin Lynch — some of whom are returning this year. 

Guy Fieri
Phoenix hosted Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Super Bowl Tailgate in 2023. This year’s event will be in New Orleans. (Guy’s Flavortown Tailgate)
Phoenix hosted Guy Fieri's Flavortown Super Bowl Tailgate in 2023. This year's event will be in Las Vegas. (Courtesy photo)
Phoenix hosted Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Super Bowl Tailgate in 2023. This year’s event will be in New Orleans. (Guy’s Flavortown Tailgate)

This year’s lineup keeps the tradition alive, with Diplo back for his third consecutive set, blending country-inspired beats with his signature electronic sound. He’ll be joined by hype-man icon Flavor Flav and New Orleans rock legends Cowboy Mouth, ensuring nonstop energy throughout the event. 

General admission is free, but requires registration. Premium ticket options offer an upgraded experience, with complimentary food or VIP access featuring exclusive perks. A special partnership ensures guaranteed entry for 2,000 military members and veterans.

Attendees can expect free food samples from “Guy’s partners,” such as Carnival Cruise Line and King’s Hawaiian, as well as Flavortown sauces, a variety of drinks and, of course, plenty of fried chicken. 

In short, it’s got all the ingredients for a great pre-game party.

“Laissez les bons temps rouler,” said Fieri, meaning, “Let the good times roll,” in French.

Guy’s Flavortown Tailgate, 1380 Port of New Orleans Pl, New Orleans, Louisiana, guysflavortowntailgate.com

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Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy!, the First in Northern California, Opens in Napa County https://www.sonomamag.com/guy-fieri-opening-chicken-guy-restaurant-thursday-in-napa-county/ Mon, 09 Dec 2024 23:00:03 +0000 https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=120627

A local collaboration with Chandi Hospitality Group led to a 10-restaurant deal for the fried chicken restaurant chain across the San Francisco Bay Area and in Sacramento.

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The first Bay Area outpost of celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy! restaurants will open Thursday, Dec. 12, in American Canyon in Napa County.

The 2,800-square-foot, 43-seat fast-casual restaurant is part of an exclusive 10-restaurant deal with Santa Rosa-based Chandi Hospitality Group to open the popular chicken tender restaurants across the San Francisco Bay Area and in Sacramento.

“We are immensely proud to open our first Chicken Guy! location, marking the beginning of our 10-unit partnership with this exciting, growing brand,” said Sonu Chandi, owner of Chandi Hospitality Group. “Chicken Guy! offers a flavor-packed dining experience that we know will resonate with Napa County locals and visitors alike, and we are confident it will quickly become a community staple as we expand the brand throughout Northern California.”

Guy Fieri's Chicken Guy! restaurant
Chicken Guy! will open in American Canyon on Dec. 12, 2024. (Shutterstock)

The chicken-centric menu — created by founders Fieri and Robert Earl, the CEO of Planet Hollywood — centers around battered and brined fried chicken tenders that are pressure-cooked and served with a selection of 10 sauces, including Fieri’s famous Donkey Sauce as well as bourbon brown sugar barbecue, buttermilk ranch, garlic Parmesan and Nashville hot honey sauce.

Sandwiches will include the Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ with grilled or fried chicken tenders, pepper jack cheese, special sauce, slaw, pickles and barbecue kettle chips all stuffed under a bun; the Buffalo Mac ‘N’ Cheese with tenders, smoked bacon, buffalo mac and cheese and garlic Parmesan sauce; and the Pepperoni Chicken Parm.

The restaurant also features hand-spun shakes, loaded fries, pickle chips and fried chicken dumplings with smoked bacon drizzled with Donkey Sauce.

Chandi Hospitality Group senior vice president/COO Joti Chandi, left, and founder/president Sonu Chandi pose for a portrait at the rebuilt Mountain Mike's Pizza location on Cleveland Avenue in Santa Rosa on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
Chandi Hospitality Group senior vice president/COO Joti Chandi, left, and founder/president Sonu Chandi pose for a portrait at the rebuilt Mountain Mike’s Pizza location on Cleveland Avenue in Santa Rosa on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019. Chandi Hospitality Group made a deal to open 10 of Guy Fieri’s Chicken Guy! restaurants in Northern California. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)

Chandi Hospitality Group currently owns seven Mountain Mike’s Pizza restaurants and oversees an additional 12 locations throughout Northern California. The group also owns Beer Baron Bar & Kitchen in downtown Santa Rosa, where it previously operated several additional restaurants, including Bollywood Bar & Clay Oven, which closed in 2020.

The first Chicken Guy! opened in 2018 at Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida. The chain now has additional locations in Florida, as well as in New York City, Atlantic City and at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas. There is also a Chicken Guy! at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, but that location is not considered a full restaurant since it has a limited menu and no kitchen.

The new Chicken Guy! restaurant at 200 American Canyon Road will be open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. chickenguy.com

Stay tuned for more details on additional Chicken Guy! locations in the Bay Area.

You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.

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New Los Molcajetes Location Opens in Sonoma https://www.sonomamag.com/los-molcajetes-guy-fieri-favorite-opens-in-sonoma/ Tue, 10 Sep 2024 22:26:28 +0000 https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=117889

The owners of Los Molcajetes have opened a third location at the former Kina's Cafe.

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The owners of Los Molcajetes have opened a third location at the former Kina’s Cafe (19101 Sonoma Highway) in Sonoma.

The lengthy menu at the new restaurant focuses on seafood, including ceviche, aguachile, mixed seafood plates, a seafood molcajete, a whole fried perch and fish tacos. You’ll also find empanadas, nachos, shareable parradillas for a family, salads, sandwiches and chicken, beef or pork platters.

Fried fish from Los Molcajetes, a Guy Fieri favorite
“Mojarra Frita” deep fried Mojarra fish with rice, black beans, a garden salad with a margarita from Los Molcajetes Bar & Grill in Rincon Valley on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

The menu includes a glossary to help English speakers wade through Spanish descriptions (did you know “zarandeado” is a method for grilling fish over an open flame?)

Other locations for Los Molcajetes are at 1950 Piner Road and 6599 Montecito Blvd. in Santa Rosa. losmolcajetesbarandgrill.com

You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com. Follow Heather on Instagram @biteclubeats.

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Los Molcajetes was a Guy Fieri favorite featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in 2018. The Fieri favorite is Taqueria Molcajetes on College Avenue.

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Guy Fieri Brings Super Bowl Tailgate Party to Arizona https://www.sonomamag.com/guy-fieri-superbowl-tailgate/ Tue, 31 Jan 2023 19:57:35 +0000 https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=102490

The celebrity chef is throwing a mega food and drink party in Arizona that anyone can attend.

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Football fans will get a face full of Flavortown when Sonoma County’s celebrity chef Guy Fieri throws a mega-tailgate party for 10,000 people next to Glendale’s State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 12.

Billed as the largest free culinary event in football history, Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate will feature more than 20 restaurant pop-ups and bars, as well as musical performances by artists Diplo and LoCash, in an empty lot just a stone’s (or football’s) throw from the Super Bowl 2023 arena. The five-hour event will run from 11:30 a.m. until kickoff.

“I love the Super Bowl. It’s one of my favorite things in the world. But very few people have a chance to go. They want to be with other fans cheering on their team,” said Fieri from the set of “Guy’s Grocery Games” in Windsor, where he is shooting a new season.

A rendering of the setup of the tailgate event. (Courtesy)
A rendering of the setup of the tailgate event. (Courtesy of guysflavortowntailgate.com)

After years of hosting Super Bowl parties at his home in Sonoma County, as well as high-end culinary events at previous games, Fieri wanted to create a large-scale food and entertainment event for everyone.

“I always have these big ideas and visions. Why not throw a tailgate? I’m doing this to take care of people and have a good time in a fun environment and celebrate with other fans,” he said.

Fieri’s handpicked lineup for the tailgate includes 10 Arizona-based restaurants featured on his Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” as well as local restaurants from the Phoenix area and “custom creations” from Fieri, such as bites from his fast-food concept Chicken Guy.

Within 18 hours of announcing the Super Bowl tailgate, the event’s ticket site received more than 34,000 requests, Fieri said. Event organizers are working to ensure fairness, he added.

Fieri is already being asked if the tailgate will become a regular event at Super Bowl games.

“Let me just get one off the ground,” he said. “It’s a lot, but it’s going to be amazing.”

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Guy Fieri’s Dessert Nachos Make Top 50 Holiday Gift List. And You Can Order Them Online https://www.sonomamag.com/guy-fieris-dessert-nachos-make-top-50-holiday-gift-list-and-you-can-order-them-online/ Tue, 29 Nov 2022 20:12:57 +0000 https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=100936

A delicious holiday dessert from the Mayor of Flavortown, complete with a signature Guy Fieri "trash can."

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What’s more delicious than a pile of Guy Fieri’s Trash Can Nachos? His Trash Can Dessert Nachos! Online gourmet grocer Goldbelly has just clocked this sweet and sticky dessert from the Mayor of Flavortown as one of the top 50 gifts of the holiday season.

For $89.95, you can impress your friends and family with a pile of sweet, savory, drippy, creamy goodness, complete with a signature Guy Fieri “trash can” (otherwise known in culinary circles as a ring mold).

The DIY kit includes crispy cannoli chips, mini pretzels, chocolate toffee pieces, brownie pieces, whiskey dark chocolate sauce, whiskey salted caramel sauce, and mascarpone cream to hold it all together. There’s also a holiday version with red and green M&M’s and peppermint candy pieces. You do the stacking and presentation.

You can use your enclosed Trash Can for other personal food adventures, such as Trash Can Lasagna, Trash Can Meatloaf, Trash Can Trifle, or even Trash Can Seven Layer Dip. The possibilities are endless! You can also order Fieri’s pulled pork Trash Can Nachos with his signature Caliente Margaritas.

Still hungry? Check out some of Goldbelly’s other holiday desserts like Nancy Silverton’s Gelato Gift Box, Gray’s Papaya New York Hot Dog Kit, Vosges Haut-Chocolat Collection or Martha Stewart’s Strawberry Ombre Cake.

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Guy Fieri Saves Butcher Shop Where He Worked His First Job https://www.sonomamag.com/guy-fieri-saves-ferndale-butcher-shop-buying-building/ Fri, 12 Feb 2021 03:10:59 +0000 https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=81032

A historic meat business will live to cleave another steak, thanks to Guy Fieri.

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A historic Ferndale meat business will live to cleave another steak, thanks to Guy Fieri.

In January, the celebrity chef and Ferndale native purchased a historic building where the Ferndale Meat Company had operated for more than a century. It also happened to be where a young Guy got his first job — making jerky.

According to the Ferndale Enterprise, the newspaper’s publisher alerted Fieri that the building was for sale for $299,299. The “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” host bought the building the next day.

Fieri noted that the business means more to locals than simply a spot to buy pork chops or a deli sandwich, citing its importance to 4-H and FFA students, along with hunters in the region. Ferndale Meat Company is one of only a handful of butchers in rural Northern California counties and is constantly busy.

Fieri said he doesn’t plan to change a thing, and will leave operations to the current owner, Butcher Curt Terribilini.

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Guy Fieri Raises $21.5M for Restaurant Workers, Praised for Doing ‘More Than Congress’ https://www.sonomamag.com/guy-fieri-raises-21-5m-for-restaurant-workers-praised-for-doing-more-than-congress/ https://www.sonomamag.com/guy-fieri-raises-21-5m-for-restaurant-workers-praised-for-doing-more-than-congress/#disqus_thread Sat, 12 Dec 2020 01:48:32 +0000 https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=79488

As thousands of California restaurant workers were laid off this week due to mandates shuttering in-person dining, Fieri is being lauded as a hero of the industry.

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As thousands of California restaurant workers were laid off this week due to mandates shuttering in-person dining for the remainder of the year, celebrity chef Guy Fieri is being lauded as a hero of the industry for his $21.5 million Restaurant Employee Relief Fund.

To date, the fund has helped more than 43,000 workers by offering one-time payments of $500, according to its website. Though the fund is now closed to new applicants, some say that Fieri has done more for unemployed restaurant workers during the pandemic than the United States Congress.

A recent Newsweek article quotes a Tweet from author Dan Price as saying, “Guy Fieri has raised $21.5 million for unemployed restaurant workers, which means Guy Fieri has done more for unemployed restaurant workers than Congress has in the last 8 months.”

According to a survey by the National Restaurant Association, released in September, one in six restaurants — or a total of 100,000 establishments nationwide — had closed “either permanently or long-term” six months into the pandemic, leaving nearly 3 million employees out of work. Relief in the form of a $120 billion piece of legislation called the RESTAURANTS Act (Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed To Survive) is currently stalled out in Congress. It would help small restaurants stay afloat by giving them funds for payroll, leases and other urgent needs.

Sonoma County’s health officer issued a new stay-home order on Thursday to counter the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in the county. The new order will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, and is set to expire Jan. 9. It will end in-person dining at local restaurants, including outdoor dining.

As local restaurants once again face the difficult question of whether to stay open for takeout and delivery only — which few can survive on — or closing altogether, hope is slowly slipping away that help is coming in any meaningful way.

Let’s hope Guy starts another fundraiser soon, and that much-needed economic relief arrives to local restaurants, or we’ll likely see many closures in the next few months.

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Behind the Scenes of Guy Fieri’s ‘Hospital Week’ Thank You Tour https://www.sonomamag.com/behind-the-scenes-of-guy-fieris-hospital-week-thank-you-tour/ https://www.sonomamag.com/behind-the-scenes-of-guy-fieris-hospital-week-thank-you-tour/#disqus_thread Fri, 15 May 2020 22:48:38 +0000 https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=73841

Spoiler alert: Fieri is pretty much exactly what you see on TV, times 100.

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Outside Memorial Hospital last week, hospital workers lined up in the parking lot, standing on red Xs spaced 6 feet apart, for a glimpse of Guy Fieri.

The Food Network chef, game show host and Hollywood Walk-of-Famer was busily signing 300 boxed meals for staff, with another 300 to go for the night shift.

For hours on Wednesday, he stood under an awning as it rained off and on, his hand clenched around a black Sharpie, writing a quick “Great Work” or “Thank you!” while posing for a photo with anyone who wanted one. His hand was cramping up, but he wasn’t complaining. I asked.

Behind him the culinary team, including me, our faces covered with superhero-themed masks, cranked out hundreds of hot meals for the hastily-organized event. The menu included more than a thousand pounds of pulled pork, Caesar salad, vegetable penne pasta and focaccia served to medical staff from Fieri’s $300,000, 48-foot mobile kitchen.

It was no small task: 600 boxed meals were signed and handed out at Memorial on Wednesday, plus 700 meals at Sutter hospital Tuesday and 800 boxed were meals planned for Kaiser on Thursday.

“This was a little bigger than we thought,” Fieri said Wednesday. Already he had run out of the 1,500 superhero T-shirts made for the hospital staff, but he promised to bring more next week.

With the three-day “Hospital Week” thank-you tour he came up with just 10 days earlier, Fieri said he simply wanted to feed some Santa Rosa hospital workers who put themselves on the front lines, along with EMTs, firefighters, police and other first responders also risking their safety. You know, just an intimate little soiree feeding 2,000.

I was part of the culinary crew, working alongside Fieri, his family (including eldest son Hunter working the line), several of his closest friends, his Knuckle Sandwich culinary team and local chefs John Stewart (Zazu, Black Pig Meats), Duskie Estes (Zazu, Farm to Pantry) and Domenica Catelli (Catelli’s).

(Irwin helped arrange the event but was not paid to do so. Fieri covered the costs of the event. Irwin is the dining editor at Sonoma Media Investments and founder and CEO of Sonoma Family Meal, which pays local restaurants to cook for people in need.)

Spoiler alert: Fieri is pretty much exactly what you see on TV, times 100. Dressed in a camo chef’s jacket with a knife sheathed on his hip, he was in constant motion, signing boxes, calling back to the kitchen for vegetarian orders, checking on staff boiling penne in a tent behind the rig.

The rig itself was pure Fieri, natch. Covered in a green and gray camo pattern, it was over the top of the top, with a 30-gallon tilt-skillet, reach-in freezer and refrigerator, multiple high-capacity burners, a smoker, broiler, two fryers, a custom sound system and several flat-screen televisions. It has to be pulled by a semi. The galley kitchen made for tight quarters, so a second outdoor kitchen was used to boil pasta and prep.

But it’s Guy who people wanted to see. Near the end of the day, Fieri elbow-bumped a fire chief asking for a picture with his truck. Picture taken, he headed back to the line.

“Thanks brother. Thanks for everything you do,” he said, handing a meal to a firefighter. Most were quietly wide-eyed at seeing a celebrity up close, actually handing them a meal. He never rushed anyone through the line, didn’t have media or handlers present and seemed genuinely grateful to be serving his community.

His mother, Penny Ferry, stood nearby. “He has such a big heart,” she said. Fieri’s friends working the event said the same, having known him for years, long before he became famous.

Though Guy doesn’t seem fazed by the bad rap he sometimes gets in the media, his friends and family are pained by the nastiness.

The vitriol, said Stewart, is part of being a household name and brand rather than being seen as a person. “America hates a winner. They love tearing people down,” he said.

Meanwhile, Fieri just kept dishing up meals and offering thanks.

“Really appreciate what you’re doing” he said as women in scrubs giggled and asked for yet another picture.

“Here, take a meal, sister.”

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Guy Fieri Launches New Series Highlighting Local Restaurants https://www.sonomamag.com/guy-fiery-hosting-video-series-highlighting-local-restaurants-open-for-takeout-and-delivery/ Fri, 17 Apr 2020 22:47:57 +0000 https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=73048

The Food Network chef will be hosting a tasty video series on delivery and takeout spots.

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The Mayor of Flavortown is teaming up with the Mayor of Windsor for a tasty video series highlighting local restaurants open for takeout and delivery.

Meals With the Mayor(s) is a light-hearted video series that brings together celebrity chef Guy Fieri, Mayor Dominic Foppoli and Windsor restaurateurs for a tasty deep-dive into what’s on takeout and delivery menus throughout the small town of Windsor.

 

“We’re shining a light on restaurants that need it most right now,” said Foppoli in an introductory video released Friday.

“It’s genius,” said Fieri, who moved to Windsor in August. Though the Food Network chef has been busy fundraising millions for his Restaurant Employee Relief Fund, he said he was glad to help his friends in the local restaurant industry.

The first video features Brad Barmore and JC Adams of Kin Restaurant speaking to the Mayors about more than just food.

“I’ve known these two characters since they were washing dishes, bussing tables (and) cooking on the line,” said Fieri, introducing the longtime restaurant owners who worked for him in the days before his Food Network fame.

Watchers get a bit of insight about a curiously named pizza special, the Shinebox (spoiler alert, it’s a reference to the movie Goodfellas) while Foppoli snacks on the polenta and shortrib special delivered to his home by Barmore and Adams.

Upcoming virtual visits will include nearby Lupe’s Diner, Tisza Bistro, Flavor Burger, El Gallo Negro, Mountain Mike’s and distillery Barrel Brothers.

It’s a fun, relaxed riff that Foppoli hopes other city mayors around the country will follow. “Find whoever the most famous local celebrity in your town is,” he says.

Luckily, Windsor already did.

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