>>> YOU KNOW FIRSTHAND THAT THE
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY HAS BEEN
GOING THROUGH THE MOST DIFFICULT
TIME WE EVER FACED.
AT THE END OF EACH AND EVERY
BATTLE, THE VICTORIOUS CHEF WILL
WIN $10,000 FOR THEIR FAVORITE
LOCAL RESTAURANT THAT IS IN THE
TIME OF NEED.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THAT'S CHEF GUY FIERY HOSTING
HIS SHOW "TOURNAMENT OF
CHAMPIONS" WHERE WINNERS COMPETE
TO HELP RESTAURANTS STRUGGLING
THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.
HE HAS BEEN A STAPLE OF THE FOOD
NETWORK FOR A DECADE AND A HALF.
HE CALLS HIMSELF THE MAYOR OF
FLAVOR TOWN AND CREATES
INGREDIENTS WITH NAMES LIKE
DONKEY SAUCE, IS IN A CONSTANT
STATE OF MOMENT.
HE BUILT A VAST COLLECTION OF
SHOWS, PRODUCTS AND RESTAURANTS
AROUND THE WORLD.
FOR THE PAST YEAR, HE HAS BEEN
PULLING UP A TRUCK TO HOSPITALS
TO FEED DOCTORS AND NURSES AND
RALLYING HIS FRIENDS TO RAISE
MONEY FOR RESTAURANT WORKERS IN
NEED OF HELP.
WE GOT TOGETHER OVER ZOOM FOR A
VIRTUAL SUNDAY SITDOWN.
HE SHOWED ME AROUND HIS NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA HOME TURNED STUDIO.
>> HERE IS THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN.
THIS IS THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN FOR
THE HOUSE.
>> TO EXPLAIN HOW GUY FIERY GOT
HERE --
>> YOU HAVE A BUDDY NOW THAT
KNOWS THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN WORLD.
>> YOU HAVE DO GO BACK 15 YEARS.
THE PROMISE MADE BY A
FRESH-FACED FIERY IN HIS FOOD
NETWORK AUDITION TAPE.
>> I CAN BRING THE RESTAURANT TO
THE HOME.
THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING
SELLABLE.
MY FRIENDS CALL ME GUIDO.
CONSIDER ME YOUR FRIEND.
I'M NO DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE I
GOT ON THE FOOD NETWORK.
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A LITTLE OUT
THERE.
I HAVE ALWAYS FOUGHT FOR MY
FRIENDS AND HELPING OTHER
PEOPLE.
I PROBABLY GOT A LITTLE LOUDER
MICROPHONE.
BUT WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU
GET.
>> THE 53-YEAR-OLD IS A ROCK
STAR IN THE FOOD WORLD.
>> THAT'S A PLATINUM ALBUM.
I CAN HEAR THAT PLAYING ON THE
FLAVOR TOWN STATION.
>> A RENEGADE RESTAURATEUR AND
TV HOST WHO BUILT A CULINARY
EMPIRE, WHILE TOURING MOM AND
POP JOINTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON
HIS POPULAR SERIES "DINERS,
DIVE-INS AND DIVES."
>> IT'S CAPITAL T TENDER.
>> HIS BIG PERSONALITY, SPIKED
HAIR AND SIGNATURE CATCH PH
PHRASES, HAVE MADE HIM A POP
CULTURE STAR.
AND A TARGET FOR COMEDIANS.
>> NOPE.
I GOT IT BACKWARDS ON PURPOSE.
MUCH LIKE MY SUNGLASSES.
PROTECT YOUR NECK.
>> CRITICS.
LIKE "THE NEW YORK TIMES," WHICH
ONCE PUBLISHED A S ED A SCATHINW
ABOUT HIS RESTAURANT IN TIMES
SC
SQUARE.
>> DO I THINK IT WAS RIGHT?
IT'S NOT WORTH WASTING TIME.
>> Re
>> HE DOES NOT COOK FOR THE
CORR
CRITICS.
HIS 75 RESTAURANTS ARE FILLED
WITH FANS.
>> THIS IS THE RESCUE TRAILER.
>> OVER THE LAST YEAR, HE HAS
CHANNELLED THAT FLAVOR TOWN
ENERGY INTO MAKING MEALS FOR
PEOPLE ON THE FRONT LINES.
>> WE HAVE A GIGANTIC RESCUE
TRAILER I BUILT BACK IN THE DAY.
WE PULL UP TO THE HOSPITAL AND
WE ARE FEEDING 3,000 PEOPLE IN A
DAY.
THEN WE HAD FIRES.
NOW WE HAVE PEOPLE LOSING THEIR
HOMES.
WE WERE FEEDING FIREFIGHTERS.
>> WHETHEN COVID CLOSED RESTAURS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY, HE GOT BUSY
AGAIN.
WORKING THE PHONES TO RAISE MORE
THAN $21 MILLION FOR SOME 43,000
STRUGGLING FOOD SERVICE WORKERS.
>> I WANT THE NAMES AND THE CELL
NUMBERS OF THE BIG CFOs, COOs,
PRESIDENTS OF COMPANIES THAT
HAVE DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE
RESTAURANT INDUSTRY.
I WANT TO ASK THEM FOR SOME
HELP.
I WILL SEND THEM A PERSONAL
MESSAGE.
I'M SENDING YOU THIS MESSAGE
BECAUSE WE ARE LOOKING FOR HELP.
I SEND OUT 41 OF THEM THAT
NIGHT.
THE NEXT DAY, I'M DRIVING TO MY
RANCH AND I'M DRIVING ALONG.
MY MANAGER CALLS ME.
HE GOES, PULL OVER.
GOSH, WHAT NOW?
HE GOES, PEPSI JUST GAVE A
MILLION DOLLARS.
>> WOW.
>> I THINK I HAD AN
OPTIMISTIC -- SCARED BUT
OPTIMISTIC OPINION HOW WE WOULD
COME THROUGH THIS.
I WATCHED GREAT PEOPLE STEP UP
AT DIFFICULT TIMES TO HELP
MANKIND.
>> HIS LOVE FOR THE FOOD
BUSINESS BEGAN WHEN HE WAS A
10-YEAR-OLD BOY ON A FAMILY SKI
TRIP.
WHAT'S THE STORY OF THAT
VACATION WHEN YOU REALIZED,
THERE'S A BUSINESS TO BE HAD OUT
OF MAKING AND SELLING FOOD?
>> I DON'T KNOW WHO YOUR
RESEARCH TEAM IS, BUT THEY WORK
FOR THE FBI OR CIA.
YOU ARE DIGGING DEEP.
I'M ABOUT IN FOURTH GRADE AND WE
ARE SKIING IN TAHOE.
THAT'S BACK IN THE DAY WHEN YOUR
PARENTS WOULD SAY, HERE IS YOUR
LIFT TICKET, GO.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, MY DAD
SAYS, DID YOU EAT?
WHAT DID YOU HAVE?
PRETZELS.
IT'S A SOFT PRETZEL.
IT IS STEAMED.
THEY PUT SALT ON IT.
YOU ATE YOUR LUNCH MONEY IN
PRETZELS?
THAT WENT ON FOR A FEW DAYS.
HE SAYS, WHY DON'T YOU OPEN YOUR
OWN PRETZEL BUSINESS?
I GO TO THE GUY AND I SAID,
COULD I GET THE ADDRESS OF THE
PRETZEL PEOPLE?
WHY?
SO YOU CAN GET PRETZELS AND OPEN
YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND PUT ME OUT
OF BUSINESS?
I'M LIKE, I'M 10, DUDE.
I DON'T EVEN LIVE HERE.
HE SAYS, I'M NOT GIVING IT TO
YOU.
I WALKED BACK TO MY DAD.
HE SAID, YOU WAIT FUNTIL THAT GY
THROWS THE BOX AWAY.
I STAKED THE GUY OUT, WAITED
UNTIL HE CLOSED UP SHOT.
I DID GO DUMPSTER DIVING.
I WILL BE HONEST WITH YOU.
WE GO HOME.
I WRITE A LETTER TO THE PEOPLE.
FROM FIFTH GRADE UNTIL A
SOPHOMORE IN HIGH SCHOOL, I SOLD
PRETZELS AT THE RODEO, THE FAIR,
WHATEVER.
I TAKE PEOPLE'S IMAGINATIONS AND
PUT THEM ON THE PLATE.
>> HE HAD OPENED THREE FULL
SERVICE FRANCHISE RESTAURANTS BY
THE TIME HE AUDITIONS FOR AND
WON THE COMPETITION SHOW "FOOD
N
NETWORK STAR" IN 2005.
>> THERE'S THE CARS OVER THERE.
C
THE CAMARO HAS TO GO ON THE
ROAD.
IT'S ON ITS WAY TO FLORIDA.
>> ON THE DAY WE CAUGHT UP WITH
HIM, HE WAS FILMING NEW EPISODES
OF "GUY'S GROCERY GAMES AS AT
HOME."
>> EXPAND DELIVERY FOOD.
>> IT'S A TAKEOUT TAKEDOWN.
>> WITH HELP FROM HIS SON
HUNTER.
>> PEOPLE ASK MRE ME, IS IT A D
COME TRUE?
I COULDN'T HAVE DREAMED THIS
BIG.
THIS IS BEYOND MY SCOPE OF WHERE
I THOUGHT THINGS COULD GO.
>> EVEN AFTER A DEVASTATING YEAR
FOR RESTAURANTS, THE RELE
RELENTLESSLY OPTIMISTIC FIERI IS
DREAMING BIG.
>> THIS IS WHAT'S AMAZING ABOUT
PEOPLE THAT LOVE THIS INDUSTRY
IS WE ADAPT AND OVERCOME.
IT'S FOREIGN AND DIFFICULT.
RESTAURANTS GOING TO GO AWAY?
NO.
THERE'S MORALE THAT'S BROKEN.
WILL WE RECOVER?
WE WILL.
IT WILL BE DIFFERENT, BUT WE
WILL.
>> GUY'S LATEST SERIES
"TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS" SEASON
TWO AIRS SUNDAY ON THE FOOD
NETWORK.
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