If Anthony Bourdain is the culinary industry's resident bad boy and Gordon Ramsay is every cook's harshest critic, then Guy Fieri is the food world's fun uncle. That's why the Food Network star's most recent venture, opening a new restaurant on the latest Carnival cruise ship, is so incredibly fitting. Refinery29 caught up with Fieri on the deck right outside Pig & Anchor, his smokehouse on the new Carnival Horizon. He sat in his camo chef's jacket, complete with with skull buttons, and dished on everything from the sacred status of barbecue to the surprising states Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives has never to visited.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
What's Next For Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives?
As of this interview, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives has had 28 seasons. However, the show has still only visited 45 of the 50 states. Spots in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Arkansas, and Delaware have yet to be featured. Though he wants to visit all the states eventually, Fieri is especially perplexed by the fact that the show has never filmed in Delaware. "When I got told Delaware, I’m like 'How?! We’ve been in that full circle. How did we not make it?!' But, that’s one of the goals that we’re all laughing about on my crew."
As of this interview, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives has had 28 seasons. However, the show has still only visited 45 of the 50 states. Spots in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Arkansas, and Delaware have yet to be featured. Though he wants to visit all the states eventually, Fieri is especially perplexed by the fact that the show has never filmed in Delaware. "When I got told Delaware, I’m like 'How?! We’ve been in that full circle. How did we not make it?!' But, that’s one of the goals that we’re all laughing about on my crew."
When asked if there were any plans for the show to visit the other four states, the host says most definitely. "My family and I are getting ready to go to Yellow Stone in June. We’re going to drive up through there, and we’re going to hit Bozeman. So, that will [be] one down, and I think North Dakota and South Dakota will get done either this year or beginning of next."
Fieri Always Likes The Food On Triple D For A Reason
After 206 episodes, we thought Fieri had to have tasted at least one dish he didn't like while traveling to restaurants across the country, but apparently that doesn't happen often. "We have such a great advance team, we look at the restaurants, we look at the menus, we look at the menu items, we look at the process of the menu items. I can tell you before I ever walk through the door whether or not something’s going to be right or wrong. If they’re not using the right process then that would probably make them not get on the show." Fieri explains.
After 206 episodes, we thought Fieri had to have tasted at least one dish he didn't like while traveling to restaurants across the country, but apparently that doesn't happen often. "We have such a great advance team, we look at the restaurants, we look at the menus, we look at the menu items, we look at the process of the menu items. I can tell you before I ever walk through the door whether or not something’s going to be right or wrong. If they’re not using the right process then that would probably make them not get on the show." Fieri explains.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
Though a lot of vetting goes on, Triple D's host did say that early-on in the show's history, they had less advance awareness. Because of that, there were a few times he ate something that he didn't think was quite right. "I don’t lie about it. If I don’t like it, you just don’t see it. That’s my deal. I tell people all the time ‘I’m not a TV personality, I’m a chef...' I don’t walk around trying to do reviews. I’m not a food critic by any means. I’m just a chef that goes in and eats and enjoys, and if I like it, I’ll talk about it. If I don’t, you won’t hear about it."
Pet Peeves
As agreeable as Guy Fieri is, through his mirror-tented sunglasses, Fieri sees food in a very specific way. For instance, he gets annoyed when people mix up barbecuing and grilling. "What I don’t prefer is when people take great food and make it incorrectly. Barbecue is one of them, for example. A barbecue, to a lot of people, is going to a grill and grilling meats, and they call that a barbecue. Barbecue is low and slow... Grilling is grilling and barbecue is barbecue."
As agreeable as Guy Fieri is, through his mirror-tented sunglasses, Fieri sees food in a very specific way. For instance, he gets annoyed when people mix up barbecuing and grilling. "What I don’t prefer is when people take great food and make it incorrectly. Barbecue is one of them, for example. A barbecue, to a lot of people, is going to a grill and grilling meats, and they call that a barbecue. Barbecue is low and slow... Grilling is grilling and barbecue is barbecue."
Restaurants On Cruise Ships Vs. Restaurants On Dry Land
When asked to compare his experience opening a restaurant on a cruise ship to his past experiences in on-land hospitality, Fieri tells Refinery29, "It’s every bit the same and completely different." One thing he really loves about his new Carnival Horizon smokehouse is the clientele. "You get a captive audience of 4,000 people that love to eat and drink and hang out and enjoy life. Where else do you get that?" As if his admiration of cruise-goers isn't enough to prove his propensity for chillness, Fieri went on to compare is partnership with Carnival to playing in a rock band: "I’ll write the greatest song in the world, but if you ain’t going to play it together then it’s not going to work."
When asked to compare his experience opening a restaurant on a cruise ship to his past experiences in on-land hospitality, Fieri tells Refinery29, "It’s every bit the same and completely different." One thing he really loves about his new Carnival Horizon smokehouse is the clientele. "You get a captive audience of 4,000 people that love to eat and drink and hang out and enjoy life. Where else do you get that?" As if his admiration of cruise-goers isn't enough to prove his propensity for chillness, Fieri went on to compare is partnership with Carnival to playing in a rock band: "I’ll write the greatest song in the world, but if you ain’t going to play it together then it’s not going to work."
Becoming A Foam Convert
Since there are several food trends we're personally skeptical of — looking at you edible glitter — we were curious to know if there were any food trends Fieri hates. Of course, as one of the nicest chefs in the business, he kindly answered "I'm not a big hate person." He admitted that some food trends have seemed unappealing to him at first, but when they're executed correctly, it can convert you into a believer. "I can’t say that I was a huge foam person, but then I went and had José Andrés cook for me up at his restaurant, and I was like ‘Ahhh okay.' I don’t know that I had the right example of what was going on."
Since there are several food trends we're personally skeptical of — looking at you edible glitter — we were curious to know if there were any food trends Fieri hates. Of course, as one of the nicest chefs in the business, he kindly answered "I'm not a big hate person." He admitted that some food trends have seemed unappealing to him at first, but when they're executed correctly, it can convert you into a believer. "I can’t say that I was a huge foam person, but then I went and had José Andrés cook for me up at his restaurant, and I was like ‘Ahhh okay.' I don’t know that I had the right example of what was going on."