Guy Fieri was born to cook. The proof, of course, comes after competing against chefs in “The Next Food Network Star” and winning. The win granted Fieri a primetime series that became popular while further advancing not only his career as a chef but also as a writer.
“Guy’s Big Bite,” which premiered in 2006, was that hit. Fieri’s success became instantaneous for his unorthodox approach to food, and as viewers can also contend, his clothing and overall style.
His most recent book, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” is the reader-friendly companion to his second television series on the Food Network.
The book is a testament that his writing style and overall subject matter satisfies a variety of people. Fieri’s big personality comes full circle — he is humorous while taking every reader on the “All American Road Trip” full of food, culture, and, how can we forget, calories — lots and lots of them.
If you expect Fieri to be health conscious and count calories while telling you to eat this fruit and that vegetable, this isn’t your kind of book. This book is about the food of our nation, food such as “Cap’n Crunch French Toast” from the Blue Moon Caf� in Maryland and the “Lemongrass Pho Bowl” from The Fly Trap in Minnesota.
Fieri has fun, and the whole point of the book is based on info-tainment. Readers learn about these great eateries, and after each adventure into food, Fieri presents readers with the original or adapted version of their most notable dishes. We might not be able to travel there just yet, but we can attempt to bring a taste of Creole, Greek, Italian or Asian culture to our own home.
Strangely enough, however, a major commonality in the whole book is the preponderance of a certain background — Greek. You will find about six standout Greek eateries throughout the states. From the Brownstone Diner and Pancake Factory in Jersey City, N.J., to the Monte Carlo Steakhouse in Albuquerque, N.M., the Greeks conquer food.
Fieri lives and breathes food. He is loud, and so is his getup — signature bowling shirts, gelled, spiky hair and copious amounts of jewelry.
Maybe the most interesting aspect about Fieri is that he makes viewers remember that it doesn’t matter if the food is made in a five-star restaurant or a pool hall — if it tastes like magic, that is all you will remember.
Rating: W W W 1/2
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