Guy Fieri Facts: Fun Facts for Fans of DDD

Like many people who are into cooking shows on television, we love to watch ‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives’, often referred to as DDD or Triple D. We enjoy seeing Guy Fieri going to some amazing eateries around the United States and highlighting the best dishes on the menu. Therefore, we decided that The Fruity Tart should have some fun Guy Fieri facts for other fans of DDD to read.

In our list of facts about Guy Fieri, we have included information about his early life, family, career, and Guy Fieri’s net worth. Read on to learn more about one of our favourite Food Network hosts.

Guy Fieri Facts: His Early Life

Guy Fieri (right) with Jimmy John — Image credit: Jimmy John’s Franchise, LLC, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

He Was Born in Ohio

Guy Ramsay Ferry was born in Columbus, Ohio, on 22 January 1968. However, the family moved to Humboldt County in California when Fieri was a child, which was where he grew up and attended school. He then moved to Las Vegas to study at the University of Nevada.

He Changed His Surname

Guy Fieri was born with the surname ‘Ferry’ but changed it to’ Ferry’ as a tribute to his grandfather, Giuseppe Fieri, an Italian immigrant. When his grandfather moved to the United States, he Anglicized his surname to Ferry. Guy reverted to the original family surname when he married his wife.

He Developed a Passion for Food in His Teens

Guy Fieri has had a passion for food and cooking since his teens. He credits his passion for food to spending time in France during his teens as a foreign exchange student. The celebrity chef learned a lot about food and cooking during his time abroad, sparking a lifelong interest in anything food-related.

Guy Fieri’s Family

His Sister Died in 2011

Fieri had a sister called Morgan, who was diagnosed as a child as suffering from metastatic melanoma. Although she survived the condition as a child, she eventually died from the disease in 2011 when she was just 39.

Is Guy Fieri Married?

Guy Fieri’s wife is Lori Brisson, who he has been married to since 1995. The couple met when he was running a Long Beach restaurant and had just fired Lori’s friend. As soon as he saw Lori, he said he knew that she was the one for him. From the start of their relationship, he has shown his love for her through food.

Does Guy Fieri Have Children?

Guy Fieri and his wife Lori have two sons together, Hunter and Ryder. The two boys often feature alongside their father in his various television series.After the death of his sister, Fieri and his wife took in her son, Jules, who was 11 at the time.

Where Does Guy Fieri Live?

Fieri, his wife Lori, their two sons, and their nephew live in a gorgeous ranch in Santa Rosa, California, with a vineyard. It is called the Hunt & Ryde Winery, as he has named their home after his two sons. From their vineyard, the family are producing wine using organic methods. The property sits alongside the Russian River Valley, says Distractify. Fieri and his wife also bought a second home in West Palm Beach, Florida, in 2021.

Facts About Guy Fieri: His Career in Hospitality

He Started His Career Selling Pretzels

One of the interesting Guy Fieri facts that many people do not realize is that he started his culinary career selling pretzels from a cart. He was doing so to raise funds for his trip to France as a foreign exchange student. At the same time, he was also washing dishes to make money.

His First Restaurant Job Was in a Pub Kitchen

Like many people, Guy Fieri first gained restaurant experience working in a pub kitchen. He worked in the Red Lion Inn in Eureka, California, after returning from France and before attending university.

He Has a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Management

A Guy Fieri fact that many people do not know is that he has a degree. He attended the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. He graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Management.

Fieri First Became a Restaurant Manager in California

After graduating from university, Fieri became a restaurant manager at Parker’s Lighthouse in Long Beach, California. He spent three years in California before becoming the district manager of sic Louise’s trattoria location. His role involved recruiting and training staff to work in the restaurants.

Guy Fieri’s Restaurants

He Opened His First Restaurant in 1996

Guy Fieri opened his first restaurant in 1996 with his business partner, Steve Gruber. It was the first Johnny Garlic’s venue, and it was located in Santa Rosa, California. Johnny Garlic’s is advertised as a California pasta grill. Three years later, they opened a second location in Windsor and a third in Petaluma, although the latter has since closed. The fourth Johnny Garlic’s opened in Roseville in 2008, followed by another in Dublin, California, in 2011.

He Had a Restaurant in New York City

Fieri launched Guy’s American Kitchen and Bar in New York City in 2012, in a prime position in Times Square. It received a bad review from Pete Wells in the New York Times and became one of the most-read restaurant reviews of all time. Fieri accused Wells of writing the review to raise his own profile based on Fieri’s fame. The restaurant closed in 2017.

He Has a Partnership with Carnival Cruises

Since 2011, Guy Fieri has been in partnership with Carnival Cruises. They created a line of Guy’s Burger Joint restaurants fleet-wide selling Fieri’s burgers. He also has a chain of restaurants called Guy’s Pig & Anchor Smokehouse Brewhouse that serve beer and BBQ. There are 19 of Guy’s restaurants on cruise ships.

He Owns Guy Fieri’s Kitchen & Bar Restaurants

Fieri also has a chain of Kitchen and Bar restaurants. The first was Guy Fieri’s Vegas Kitchen and Bar, which opened in Las Vegas in 2014. He opened Guy Fieri’s Baltimore Kitchen & Bar a year later at the Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore. Most recently, he opened Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Kitchen in 2021. It is a delivery-only restaurant.

He Has an Eatery in Walt Disney World

In collaboration with Robert Earl, founder of Planet Hollywood, Fieri opened a chicken sandwich shop at Disney Springs in Walt Disney World called Chicken Guy!

Fieri’s Career in Television

He Landed a Television Career Through a Competition

Many fans of the ‘Diners, ‘Drive-Ins, and Dives’ presenter do not know that he got his break in television when he entered a televised competition called ‘The Next Food Network Star’ in 2006. He took part in and won the second season of the competition. He is now one of the biggest stars on the network, alongside people such as Bobby Flay and Ree Drummond.

He First Got His Own Series in 2006

Fieri’s prize for winning ‘The Next Food Network Star’ was a six-part series called ‘Guy’s Big Bite’, which also aired for the first time in 2006. Although he was initially only contracted for six episodes, the show was a big hit. It was last aired in 2016, a decade after Fieri first appeared on television.

Fieri Has Presented ‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives’ Since 2007

The series for which guy Fieri is best known is ‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives’, which he has presented since 2007 and is ongoing in 2021. In the series, he visits some of the best eateries in a location, watching the chef create their signature dishes and talking to the customers about their favourite items on the menu. As the name suggests, he visits Italian delis and roadside cafes rather than fine dining restaurants.

He Hosts a Cooking Competition

Guy Fieri also hosts a cooking competition on the Food Network called ‘Guy’s Grocery Games’. In the competition, four chefs compete in three elimination rounds, cooking dishes using supermarket ingredients. Fieri also has several other competitions, including Rachael vs Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off’ with Rachael Ray and ‘Minute to Win It’.

His Series Since 2020

Fieri continues to enjoy a successful television career, hosting various shows for the Food Network. Some of his recent work includes:

Guy’s Ranch Kitchen (2017-present)
Tournament of Champions (2020-2024)
Guy’s Restaurant Reboot (a live-streamed special in 2021)
Guy’s Chance of a Lifetime and Guy’s All-American Road Trip (both 2022)

More Facts About Guy Fieri’s Television Career

Fieri Has Appeared in Three Films

Although he is known for his television shows, one of the Guy Fieri facts that many of his fans do not know is that he has also appeared in three films. In 2014, he appeared as himself in both ‘I Am Evel Knievel’ and ‘The Interview’. Most recently, he was in the 2023 film ’80 for Brady.’

He Has Appeared in Advertising Campaigns

Fieri has appeared in advertising campaigns and worked as a brand ambassador for various companies. He was a spokesperson for TGI Friday’s from 2008 to 2009 and appeared in a commercial for Aflac in 2010. Fieri also promoted the California-based auto exhaust parts manufacturer Flowmaster.

He Has Had Two Voice Roles

In 2008, Guy Fieri provided the voice of a pizza guy in an episode of ‘Phineas & Ferb’. Fieri also provided the voice for his own character in the 2011 video game ‘Minute to Win It’. Furthermore, he provides the voice for a character based on himself in the animated series ‘The Great North.’

Other Guy Fieri Facts

Guy Fieri’s Net Worth is $100 Million

One of the Guy Fieri facts people want to know is, ‘What is Guy Fieri’s net worth?‘ Guy Fieri’s net worth is around $100 million, a significant increase over the last two years, as his 2022 net worth was $25 million. He is one of the richest celebrity chefs in the world. One reason for the increase in his net worth was signing a three-year contract with the Food Network in May 2021 worth $80 million.

He Has a Unique Style

Guy Fieri has become known as much for his unique style as for his food knowledge. He is known for his spiky bleached white hair, multiple tattoos, wearing sunglasses, and often pairing shorts with colourful shirts.

Fieri Likes to Eat in Courses

When he appears on television, viewers often see Guy Fieri filling up on protein-heavy, high-fat foods. However, he says he eats a much healthier diet at home, including grains and vegetables. Fieri also eats his food in courses, which slows down his eating. He says that this is a trick he learned when he spent time in France.

He Collects Classic Cars

One of Fieri’s passions is collecting classic cars. His collection includes a 1967 Chevrolet C10 Pickup, a 1969 Chevrolet Impala SS, a 1976 Jeep CJ-5, a 1968 Pontiac Firebird, and a 1971 Chevrolet Chevelle.

28. He Has Officiated at Weddings

One of the Guy Fieri facts that many people do not know is that he is a wedding officiate. At the 2012 South Beach Food and Wine Festival, Fieri officiated at 101 same-sex weddings. He also officiated at the wedding of celebrity chef Art Smith, which was held on Miami Beach and attended by more than two dozen same-sex couple.

29. He Has Supported Restaurant Workers Throughout COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted many industries, including food and hospitality. To support restaurant workers during this difficult time, he founded the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund in collaboration with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The newly-founded organization raised $20 million in under two months.