Celebrity chef Guy Fieri, who is almost as famous for his red Camaro on Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” as he is for his bleach blonde spiked ‘do, is about to make an even bigger name for himself as Boston prepares for his first ever restaurant to open in the city this fall.
Located inside the mixed-use development Hub on Causeway located near the TD Garden, the chef, restaurateur, author and Emmy Award-winning host’s new restaurant named Guy Fieri’s Tequila Cocina (in partnership with Big Night Entertainment Group) will join his roster of more than 70 restaurants worldwide. The restaurant, which will feature “Mexican and Latin street food cuisine,” will occupy 6,000 square feet within Big Night Live, and is the first Guy Fieri’s Tequila Cocina in Fieri’s restaurant portfolio.
We caught up recently with the Flavortown favorite to find how why he chose Boston for his first tequila cocina, where he sees the food revolution heading and the best part about his career.
Tell us a little about Tequila Cocina coming to the Hub on Causeway this fall and why you decided now was the time to open your first-ever Boston restaurant.
I’ve always been a big Boston fan, a big New England fan in general. My wife, Lori, is from Providence so over the years, we’ve spent time here as a family and, of course, I’ve been through checking a ton of killer DDD (Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives) joints. We opened up at Foxwoods two and a half years ago with the team at Big Night Entertainment and the partnership has been very rewarding. So, when they asked if I was down to do some tacos by the Garden, I was all in. Music, sports, tacos, tequila…what’s not to love?
You were just in town for Best Buddies. How did you get involved with this charity?
Anthony Shriver asked me to get involved going on 10 years or so now and it’s been amazing experience. What started out as playing a little bit of football with (Tom) Brady and cooking up a few burgers has turned into a really big deal. We’ve now got a full blown food and wine festival, a clambake and most importantly, a bunch of really amazing buddies showing us that they deserve to be included and celebrated.
Can you talk a little about what you call today’s “Food Revolution” and where you see it heading?
‘Food revolution’ can mean different things to different people. To me, and I talk about it the time, it’s about this growing connection to food and what you put into your body that I consider the revolution. That doesn’t mean everybody is all of sudden going 100 percent organic or vegan or locavore. But I do think that more and more, people are thinking about what they eat, considering their options and making choices. I believe that Food Network definitely has had a part in it as well as they’ve brought food and cooking back into the conversations in people’s homes and we needed that. Whether it’s learning how to cook your family dinner or exploring new cuisines for your date night, as a whole, we’re paying a lot more attention and have a lot more access to information than ever before.
Who were some of your culinary inspirations growing up?
My parents were definitely the inspiration, or maybe they were more of a catalyst. When I was a kid in Northern California, my parents were cooking with macrobiotics, primarily vegetarian, all the stereotypical hippie stuff. Don’t get me wrong, my mom knew how to do it right but as a kid, I just wanted some ’normal’ food, like steaks, chicken parm, you know what I mean? After some complaining, my dad laid it all out one day. ’Guy, if you want steak for dinner, go make it yourself.’ And the rest, as they say, is history.
What were some of your most lavish purchases when you realized you had “made it?”
You know, I’ve never really reacted to any success that way. I mean, I thought I was doing pretty well before this whole TV thing with a growing family, a house, a Chevelle…what more could i want? I’ve lived in the same house for over 20 years, I still drive old cars and my lake ‘house’ is off the grid and runs of solar power with a gravity fed water system. I guess one could say there are a few more cars and such around these days…I can’t lie to ya!
One dish you can’t live without?
Dish, hmmm, I don’t know. How about an ingredient? Soy sauce. I’d be lost without soy sauce.
What would you say is the best part about your career?
There’s a lot to love about my career. I’m very fortunate and I work very hard to make the most of it. But I think what really gives me the most satisfaction is the way that what I do affects others. Whether it’s the experiences that I get to share with my family and friends or the success of the mom and pop joints that we’ve highlighted around the country, it’s about the people, to me. And to have an impact on so many is a great thing.
You have a culinary empire that includes numerous restaurants and shows like “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” and “Guy’s Grocery Games,” not to mention the fact you are a New York Times bestselling cookbook author. What is left for you to accomplish in the food world?
We all have to eat every day, so to me, there’s no end in sight as to what can be done in the food world. Food connects us all and as long as I’m able, I’ll be a part of the scene. We’ve got a lot of hungry people in this world, whether its short or long term for them, and I see it as part of my mission to help.
