The Guy Fieri name has become synonymous with America’s beloved street restaurants, where regional specialties are served on sizzling skillets. On Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, the Emmy-nominated landlord and restaurateur has established himself as a greasy spoon connoisseur with a wardrobe full of bowling shirts and a crown of frosted tips.
That signature look wasn’t exactly his choice, says Mr Fieri, 55.
“A friend of mine is a hairdresser and I had long hair and she would give me a hard time forever,” he says. “And one day I said, ‘Fine, do what you want.’ She’s like, ‘Whatever I want?’” When she was done with her work, he looked in the mirror, saw his brown hair lightening and assumed she’d forgotten to rinse out the shampoo.
“She’s like, ‘No, that’s your hairdo,'” he says. Although his first instinct was to cover his newly blond hair with a beanie, he embraced it.
Mr. Fieri resides in Northern California with his wife, Lori Fieri. After devoting part of the pandemic to raising funds for restaurant workers, he is now hosting season four of the chef competition show Tournament of Champions and the show he affectionately calls Triple D, which has aired since 2007. Here, he talks about his favorite coffee drink, Kristen Stewart’s wedding and his secret to socializing.
What time do you get up on Mondays and what is the first thing you do after getting up?
Usually around 7am. Monday usually involves coffee, Wordle, and my two dogs, Smokey and Cash, who sit on my lap and don’t let me play Wordle or drink my coffee.
I heard you’re not a big breakfast person.
I don’t eat until noon.
Are you fasting intermittently or just not feeling it?
I guess that’s what they say. I will consciously choose to pay the price by noon. It’s tough when you’re done with a really hard workout, but I’m not a breakfast person anyway. I don’t really like sweets. I don’t need a lot of carbs – but don’t get me wrong, an all-around bagel is my kryptonite.
And how do you like your coffee?
I’m an Americano guy. I make a really good espresso and pour my hot water on it and then a touch of almond milk or half and half. I take great care of my coffee. I’d rather not drink coffee than crappy coffee.
What does your morning workout look like?
I have a great CrossFit program. We have an old barn that dates back to 1891 and I have this amazing sneaker. He comes in, I invite all my friends – if I do the training I pay for it, so why not let everyone else suffer? So we’ll be about 20 of us at a time.
Every morning?!
Twice a week at 8:15 am. Then we do yoga one day a week, and then I do a little bit of hiking or elliptical or air biking or something. three or four [workouts] My goal is one week.
What’s your hair routine?
There is no real routine. That’s how it works in the morning, a little bit of that. [Makes a gelling motion.] Two of these and we’re good to go – no twisted spikes or anything.
TV presenter Guy Fieri doesn’t have a run-of-the-mill hair routine for his famous tresses. Photo: Courtesy of Food Network
How many bowling shirts do you own?
I don’t think I even own one. Want to hear how this story began? I get a call to do “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” and they said, “Bring a short-sleeve shirt with a collar.” I’m pretty much a t-shirt-and-jeans guy. Shorts. flip flops. I’m not a real fashion icon. I had this one Dickies work shirt that was gray on the sides and had a dark gray center panel. When the show picked up, I had worn that in the pilot episode. They say, “This is the closet.”
What’s your secret to connecting with people on and off the screen?
I grew up with hippie parents, a fairly open-minded, positive-minded family. A word we use a lot is ‘Namaste’, something I was taught by my little sister who passed away and I got it tattooed on my arm. The power in me recognizes the power in you. Treat people well, be the best person you can be, try to make the world positive and not negative.
How would you describe your sense of humor?
[Laughs] I think it’s just completely insane. I love to laugh at everything, everything. I laugh at myself. The world is hysterical. I think laughing is one of the healthiest things to do. People may not understand the same language, but people always understand a big laugh and a smile.
Your fans call you the Mayor of Flavortown based on an ongoing installment of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Did you ever want to be mayor?
I would be mayor I mean I’m the mayor. I’m the mayor of Flavortown, not self-proclaimed. Someone said, “Yes, the self-proclaimed mayor of Flavortown.” I didn’t appoint myself! Someone called me the mayor of Flavortown. And then they named my child the Prince of Flavortown. I said, “Wait a minute, the prince is above the mayor!”
Kristen Stewart told Howard Stern that she hoped you would officiate her wedding and they said yes in a video you posted. did this happen
I hope so. I’m ready, I’m ready to make it happen. I don’t know where they are with the wedding plans and stuff, but I’m hoping it’s going to be a real thing. She is great. And I was honored that she was interested in me doing it. I hosted a wedding for 100 gay couples in South Beach and to be honest that was just one of the nicest things as top 10 best things I’ve done in my career.
What advice guided you?
One of those I’ve used a lot is don’t run the race looking over your shoulder. Don’t worry about anyone else. I came home from school and got a 3 on my test. I would say to my father, “Everyone else has a 3.” My father would say, “I don’t care about others. You are important to me. You have a C.” I apply the same principle to my sons. Just focus on what you can do, what’s great about you. I don’t want you to base your success or failure on what you see in someone else. Just do what you do best.
This interview has been edited and shortened for clarity.
Write to Lane Florsheim at [email protected]
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