# Guy takes the heat



## chefross (May 5, 2010)

So it would seem that recent restaurant reviews of Guy Fieri's new place in Times Square didn't go so well.

Articles about his place suggest that the reviewer was "mean spirited" and critiqued his place as if it were a fine dining venue and not the home cooking typical of Guy's cuisine.

Guy reportedly was on The Today Show where he served among others Dr Phil, Star Jones, CNBC chief executive Donny Deutsch, and the list went on.

The article mentions that Fieri has 11 restaurants and that he really is into food.

So...here we are......Mr restaurant critique comes un-announced into your restaurant.

Your name is on the menu and you own the place but you're not there that night and you're trusting your fully trained staff to put out expertly cooked food just the same as if you were there watching every plate go out.

Yeah Right!!!

Here's the link to the critique:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/d...uys-american-kitchen-bar-in-times-square.html


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

WOW!!

http://www.delish.com/food/recalls-reviews/guy-fieri-responds-to-scathing-new-york-times-review

I saw this earlier this morning and thought, really?

After reading the NYTimes review by Pete, WOW!!!

but as they say, any press is good press


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## foodnfoto (Jan 1, 2001)

BWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!

Guy the Girdle has a style of cooking? I thought he was just a profiler and game show host.


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## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

/img/vbsmilies/smilies/rollsmile.gif


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## prettycake (Dec 23, 2011)

I saw that, but IMHO, who cares, really. Guy has done great things for himself. He is a FOOD NET WORK STAR ! to start with. In case some are clueless about that. He has a Lamborghini and has been raking the money in these past years. Not to mention the fame. So therefore he must be doing something right. This newpaper person probably cannot even boil water. Guy has a personality for TV. IMO, people who are so harsh about his cooking should go to Taco Bell or Dennys. These are the places appropriate for their taste and level of expertice. CHEAP! and low class... Guy is probably laughing at these fool(s).. I mean really, at least he is not a starving and struggling chef like some we know (here), otherwise he will not be driving a Lamborghini.. right ?? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/bounce.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif


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## kuan (Jun 11, 2001)

I have no aspirations of driving a Lambo.  To me it's not any indication of doing things right.

I understand Guy can't be in all eleven places at the same time, but the way you grow a restaurant empire is not to plunk down a whole bunch of restaurants at once.  You start with one and work at it until you have a proven formula, then you branch out.  You take your good people and move them to the next place and so on.  That way you have your culture firmly embedded in your organization.  Daniel Boulud's restaurants are a great example of how it's done.

But you can still be happy with one restaurant.  One really good restaurant.


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

At the level he is at like Gordon Ramsey or Rachel Ray either you have thick skin and can take the heat or you are in the wrong business. Guy was given and opportunity he took it and he really made it into something so good for him great way to rise to the challenge. As for food critics they are not the last word in food or what people like. Personally if we had no more food critics that would be fine with me. More often they seem to do more damage then good.

In Chicago we have Chicago Magazine and I have seen one to many times food critics give great restaurants 2 stars from 3 and it takes a huge hit. I often wonder if the critics ever consider that their ratings have such power and that those restaurants are someone's life? Those restaurants often employee 30,40,50 or more people all with families. Quite a long time ago there was an article about the impact that food critics reviews have on a restaurant and they interviewed some big chefs in NY. David Walltuck of Chantrelle was one of them and I had a chance to meet him and talk with him about it. The loss of one star or a poor review is almost instantly seen in your reservations drop off. Knowing what I know now I would not give most food critics any attention. 

This is not to say there are not some great ones who are gracious and not mean spirited. Pat Bruno of Chicago comes to mind, great critic.


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

kuan said:


> I have no aspirations of driving a Lambo. To me it's not any indication of doing things right.


Kudos on this nail hit. It pretty much echoes my sentiments.

No slight on Fieri though, I actually enjoy him; but do I consider him a culinary guru and a role model? Not really, but not everything has to be all deadpan far too serious I am changing the world cuisine. I like him for what he is. Entertaining.


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## foodnfoto (Jan 1, 2001)

Hey it's Times Square- anyone who knows good NY food wouldn't eat there anyway-it's for tourists. I'm just surprised at the ordinary nature of the menu items.

C'mon! Cesar Salad? Chicken Fingers? Sheesh.

I don't care what you put on the crust-chicken fingers are still chicken fingers.


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## cotter co (Nov 15, 2012)

Seems to me there was ALOT of bad energy in this review. Looks like most of it was from someome that had a different opinion on where the menu should have been. Just because its not exactly as you would like it to be doesnt mean its bad. Is this Pete guy the oppositions cousin or something?


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## twyst (Jan 22, 2012)

> So...here we are......Mr restaurant critique comes un-announced into your restaurant.
> 
> Your name is on the menu and you own the place but you're not there that night and you're trusting your fully trained staff to put out expertly cooked food just the same as if you were there watching every plate go out.
> 
> Yeah Right!!!


If your staff isn't putting out the same standard of food when you are away then you either have staffing issues or you have failed at one aspect of your job. As the exec/owner its your responsibility to hire professional staff and train them correctly, and if you overachieve in that area the restaurant will run smoothly when you are away.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Prettycake said:


> I saw that, but IMHO, who cares, really. Guy has done great things for himself. He is a FOOD NET WORK STAR ! to start with. In case some are clueless about that. He has a Lamborghini and has been raking the money in these past years. Not to mention the fame. So therefore he must be doing something right. This newpaper person probably cannot even boil water. Guy has a personality for TV. IMO, people who are so harsh about his cooking should go to Taco Bell or Dennys. These are the places appropriate for their taste and level of expertice. CHEAP! and low class... Guy is probably laughing at these fool(s).. I mean really, at least he is not a starving and struggling chef like some we know (here), otherwise he will not be driving a Lamborghini.. right ?? /img/vbsmilies/smilies/bounce.gif/img/vbsmilies/smilies/lol.gif


Uhhhh, I got troubles with some of those sentences...

But first, a little about myself: I don't watch TV, don't have cable, don't follow cooking shows, don't care. I hate plays, opera, and "drama", and I have worked for a "restauranteur" who was a media darling and had 6 restaurants in this city.

Fame does not equal good cooking, good management, or raking in the money, or driving a Lamborghini.

What I hate about actors and acting is that it is make believe: The better the actor, the better s/he can convince you that he IS King Henry VIII, a brain surgeon, etc. However they are NOT. A TV personality does not mean that the person can cook or run a chain of restaurants, it means they have a TV personality.

So I worked for uhh.. shall we say a "gentleman" who owned 6 Italian themed restaurants. I worked mainly in one place, but had opportunity to work in 2 others now and then. The man was a monster, and the higher up on the HR roster you went, the more the Managers, Chefs (not cooks), and Maitre D's hated the guy. Most were under contract and couldn't leave until their time was up. Suppliers hated the guy, and he had a habit of really pi**ing off the health inspectors and liquor inspectors. But the media loved him, he had personality on the screen, and he wrote books--mostly glossy pics of Umbria or fancy chinaware ghostwritten by some one, but he "did" books, and the bookstores loved him.

What I'm sayin here is don't judge the "Guy" until you've worked a few months for him. Don't judge him by the car he drives....................


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## prettycake (Dec 23, 2011)

foodpump said:


> Uhhhh, I got troubles with some of those sentences...
> 
> But first, a little about myself: I don't watch TV, don't have cable, don't follow cooking shows, don't care. I hate plays, opera, and "drama", and I have worked for a "restauranteur" who was a media darling and had 6 restaurants in this city.
> 
> ...


The car does not determine the kind of person he is , BUT, it is a sign that he is doing well aka successful.. When he was in the Next Food Network Star competition years ago, his cooking was judged by good chefs and he won the title. He did not get to where he is without hard work and earning that title. How about you ? your are the one judging him negatively when you know so less or none at all about him since you do not follow cooking shows and things like that (according to you). I am not judging, just telling it like it is.

I do not plan to work as a chef. I am good at what I can do without the title of CHEF, I cook and bake when I want to , not when people want me to. I do not work. My day is nothing but relaxing, shopping and doing things at my own pace. I am very comfortable where I am. I am enjoying all the comforts of life w/ out having to work for any restaurant and I do not bake or decorate a cake at 2:00 am in the morning half asleep. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

foodpump said:


> What I'm sayin here is don't judge the "Guy" until you've worked a few months for him.





Prettycake said:


> . He did not get to where he is without hard work and earning that title.
> How about you ?





Prettycake said:


> This newpaper person probably cannot even boil water.


but then again, I am just one of those


> starving and struggling chef like some we know (here)


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## prettycake (Dec 23, 2011)

cheflayne said:


> but then again, I am just one of those


I have no interest in knowing anyone here more than what is posted here about them. The topic here is Guy Fieri not someone else. Therefore I cannot judge them for what I do not know about them. What they did in the past in terms of career, how they started, where they work and who they worked for is non of my concern and I do not care. In other posts, I see complains about how their career is going for them as a chef. Some good and some not so good while sharing their struggles, their ups and downs and all of that. So I am just commenting based on that information. I don't even want to know their real names. I have read the bio of Guy F. that is how I knew some of this background. It is just so amuzing and shallow when people say negative things about him when they have no clue who he is and his accomplishments or just hearing his name for the first time since they do not watch TV. How is that possible ?


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## cheflayne (Aug 21, 2004)

Prettycake said:


> I have no interest in knowing anyone here more than what is posted here about them. The topic here is Guy Fieri not someone else. Therefore I cannot judge them for what I do not know about them. What they did in the past in terms of career, how they started, where they work and who they worked for is non of my concern and I do not care. In other posts, I see complains about how their career is going for them as a chef. Some good and some not so good while sharing their struggles, their ups and downs and all of that. So I am just commenting based on that information. I don't even want to know their real names. I have read the bio of Guy F. that is how I knew some of this background. It is just so amuzing and shallow when people say negative things about him when they have no clue who he is and his accomplishments or just hearing his name for the first time since they do not watch TV. How is that possible ?


You pretty much did the same thing to Pete Wells. He is the food critic that wrote the article about Guy Fieri that basically generated the start of this topic.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

I recently took a cruise. Guys hamburger joint was one of the venues. I must say it was the best place on the ship to eat. It was quick, effecient and clean. The burgers wer cooked on a flat top and were great. The garni and condiments were all fresh and crispy.. Call him what you want the guy is a success and laughs all the way to the bank.He makes no claims as to being gourmet or Escoffier


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

Twyst said:


> If your staff isn't putting out the same standard of food when you are away then you either have staffing issues or you have failed at one aspect of your job. As the exec/owner its your responsibility to hire professional staff and train them correctly, and if you overachieve in that area the restaurant will run smoothly when you are away.


EXACTLY!!!

Now let's talk about chain restaurants doing the same thing, then it'll make sense.


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## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Prettycake said:


> I do not plan to work as a chef. I am good at what I can do without the title of CHEF, I cook and bake when I want to , not when people want me to. I do not work. My day is nothing but relaxing, shopping and doing things at my own pace. I am very comfortable where I am. I am enjoying all the comforts of life w/ out having to work for any restaurant and I do not bake or decorate a cake at 2:00 am in the morning half asleep. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif


Ahhh.... I read you loud and clear.

For a change of life, I suggest working in the industry, it's a real eye opener. You learn things, about customers, employers, suppliers and the relationships between all three parties.

So here's situtions I do judge:

-My employer is a month behind on his produce payments, gives really sorry excuses to the supplier, but he keeps on ordering AND he complains about the order, or purposely orders the wrong item and sends it back so he can make the minimum amount for a delivery. I judge.

-A customer walks into my place and after looking on the menu declares we don't have what she wants, when we ask her what it is that she's looking for, and then point that item out on the menu, she finds excuses not to order it, this is repeated two times. I judge.

-Supplier ships me a carton of 6 x 2 kg frozen product. When I examine the expiry dates on each item, none are the same. I call to ask for a replacement, I am refused. I judge.

I asked you to work a month or two for Guy before you judge him. I do not judge


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

Well said Foodpump, well said...


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

Plus, as was previously mentioned....what is the likely percentage of all of Guy's restaurants performing at peek efficiency all of the time?

Why is this critic panning food with an eye towards a higher standard?

The food Guy puts out is down home cooking, where, try as they might, the food "Nazis"  can't seem to shake the idea that food has to meet some ivory tower standard or else it is wrong.

Get over it.


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## kippers (Aug 31, 2012)

Nicko said:


> Well said Foodpump, well said...


+1


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## kippers (Aug 31, 2012)

The great unwashed  dont want or read good reviews. They want the critics to bash a restaurants so the can claim recompense for all the crap meal they have had and not had the bottle or knowledge to complain about.The wanabee white hats out there with limited  ability want to see success attacked to pander to their own short comings.


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## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

Marilyn Hagerty's rave review of the Grand Forks Olive Garden was also carried -- or at least _covered_ -- by the NYT. Like the pan of Fieri's place it says far more about the NYT's food editors' senses of self, self-importance, and smugness which which they delude themselves into believing are "ironic" than representing a serious consideration of food.

I've no doubt that Fieri's restaurant serves overpriced garbage to tourists and am all for snobbery too, but get a grip.

BDL


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Society has a need and there are places that cater to all budgets and taste f all kinds ,be it Mc Donalds, Red Lobster, or  21 Club, or 4 Seasons Hotel.. There is a need and a place for all.


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