Why Guy Fieri Turned Down Food Network So Many Times Before 'Diners, Drive-Ins, And Dives'

You can't say that Guy Fieri isn't true to himself. You can probably spot the mega-successful restaurateur and host of Food Network's iconic "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" from a mile away —  the spiked, blonde hair, the sunglasses, the jewelry. Fieri clearly marches to the beat of his own drum, and how he treats his career is no exception. He made that sentiment apparent to Food Network long before he ever made his way to "Flavortown" when he turned down a green-lit show because he had to stay true to himself and his love of food.

In a recent interview on "In Depth with Graham Bensinger," Fieri discussed his rise to fame on the Food Network and how it wasn't as simple as being handed a successful show. Fieri got his start as the winner of the second season of Food Network Star, a competition show to find the next big food personality. He was awarded his first show, "Guy's Big Bite," a straightforward cooking show with Fieri's signature edge. The success of Guy's Big Bite led to the Food Network offering Fieri another hosting gig for a show called "Kitchen Gadgets," which, as you can probably guess, highlighted new kitchen tools. Although he filmed the pilot and it was eventually green-lit, Fieri realized it wasn't for him and turned it down. "I'm not a gadget-y chef ... I have a knife, a cutting board, and a pair of tongs — that's about all I need," Fieri said. He told the network, "Authenticity is everything. This is not me." 

That didn't stop the network from trying multiple times to get a yes, but Fieri stuck to his guns each time — if he was going to do another show, it had to be authentically him. After turning down the Food Network's initial offer, they eventually reached out with a new idea: travel around the U.S. to highlight mom and pop restaurants. This felt more like a fit to Fieri, and, as they say, the rest is history. From vintage drive-ins to roadside diners, holes in the wall, and speakeasies, Fieri has featured more than 1,400 restaurants across all 50 states since the show premiered in 2007.

There seems to be no signs of stopping, especially since Triple D (as Fieri lovingly refers to it) has had a profound effect on the restaurant industry, shining a light on struggling small businesses during uncertain times. He even helped raise more than $25 million  for restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Later in the interview with Bensinger, Fieri recalls how the owner of Tom's Barbecue in Memphis approached him at an event and said, "You helped put four of our kids through college, two of them through medical school ... you changed our whole life." This brought tears to Fieri's eyes and is clear evidence of the special effect he was looking for in a show. Although, Fieri makes one thing clear – these restaurants were already great, and Triple D just helps to showcase them.