Guy's Grocery Games - General Discussion

[Maverick]

 I didn't mind seeing them play for themselves during the at home shows.   I minded that it was the same group of Friends of Guy.   There were lots of restaurants struggling run by chefs that don't have the celebrity and success behind them.   They should have had a chance too.  I also side eye some of these matchups, like when you put Damaris up against Voltaggio.  

[Mondrianyone]

Then again, there's this: https://www.delish.com/food-news/a36133247/guy-fieri-25-million-restaurant-worker-fund/

The $25 million figure is as of last April, so the amount is likely even higher now. I'd give him a pass on the cash he lets his friends win on TV.

[LexieLily]

Figured this thread was the best place to post it because it was a special produced by Guy. Remember last year's "Restaurant Hustle: All On The Line" where Antonio, Maneet, Marcus and Christian talked about how their restaurants were affected by Covid in 2020? A new episode is back tonight at 7 to "document the new highs and lows of navigating the re-emerging restaurant industry [in 2021]."

[mlp]

17 hours ago, Maverick said:

 There were lots of restaurants struggling run by chefs that don't have the celebrity and success behind them.   They should have had a chance too.

I get what you're saying but I imagine using Guy's regulars had a lot to do with production.  I think it would be difficult to recruit random chefs who would agree to film from their homes.  Also, the atmosphere of those shows depended a lot upon the comaraderie between Guy, the players and the judges.  The mood would have been very different if the cooks had been strangers.

[kirklandia]

2 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Figured this thread was the best place to post it because it was a special produced by Guy. Remember last year's "Restaurant Hustle: All On The Line" where Antonio, Maneet, Marcus and Christian talked about how their restaurants were affected by Covid in 2020? A new episode is back tonight at 7 to "document the new highs and lows of navigating the re-emerging restaurant industry [in 2021]."

Thanks so much for posting this! I would have missed it otherwise.  The original program in 2020 was excellent.
I love Maneet and her hubby (and I do have a teeny fangirl crush on Marcus).

Edited December 29, 2021 by kirklandia

[LexieLily]

Anyone watched the Guy's Chance of a Lifetime competition series, first episode?

[mlp]

14 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Anyone watched the Guy's Chance of a Lifetime competition series, first episode?

I did and I've been wondering where we could talk about it.  I think it's only four episodes so probably doesn't rate a forum.

 

Whoops.  I just found one.  :0

Edited January 3, 2022 by mlp
correct something

[LexieLily]

9 minutes ago, mlp said:

I did and I've been wondering where we could talk about it.  I think it's only four episodes so probably doesn't rate a forum.

Whoops.  I just found one.  :0

At least it makes slightly more sense in this context to have Hunter on the evaluation committee for the prospects?

[springbarb]

Was definitely annoyed to see that the episode description for the "anti-resolutions" episode have something like, "Guy and Hunter have the chefs..."

[mlp]

Guy seems to be doubling down on making Hunter happen.  Now he's including him in many sentences and having him "help" with things Guy has never needed help with before.  If he plans to turn this show over to Hunter and thinks it will continue to be a success, he's in for a rude awakening.

In other news, Christian Petroni finally got some new clothes.  Finally.

[Grizzly]

Guy and Hunter seem to be co-hosting.

[LexieLily]

4 hours ago, mlp said:

Guy seems to be doubling down on making Hunter happen.  Now he's including him in many sentences and having him "help" with things Guy has never needed help with before.  If he plans to turn this show over to Hunter and thinks it will continue to be a success, he's in for a rude awakening.

In other news, Christian Petroni finally got some new clothes.  Finally.

There's an article on Hunter in People magazine. Link if anyone wants to see. He filmed a twelve-minute documentary. There was a one-sentence in parenthesis about Ryder about him being more of a sports-focused kid (he wants to be in the NBA!) and it's not hard to see that Hunter is the son Guy put all of his effort into re: the heir to the throne, so to speak.

[emmawoodhouse]

25 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

There's an article on Hunter in People magazine. Link if anyone wants to see. He filmed a twelve-minute documentary. There was a one-sentence in parenthesis about Ryder about him being more of a sports-focused kid (he wants to be in the NBA!) and it's not hard to see that Hunter is the son Guy put all of his effort into re: the heir to the throne, so to speak.

It's not "so to speak." Guy up and called Hunter that in the first episode of the Chicken Guy! show. 

And Ryder is too short for the NBA. You've got to be super special to make it if you're under 6'.

[LexieLily]

Someone on Reddit made the comment that Hunter completely changes the tone of GGG and brings the energy down. It's only more prominent now that he's essentially his father's co-host.

[mlp]

Hunter was ever-present throughout the show last night even though he's totally unnecessary.  He adds nothing and the fact that he's being promoted so hard annoys me so much that I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to watch GGG even though I've always enjoyed it.

[Fig Newton]

This whole Hunter thing - - - - - -

I don't dislike the kid, he's pretty basic, nothing entertaining or exciting. What I do dislike, is that he has merged his fathers theatrics and personality as well as all his stupid sayings into his own. It's bad enough he has to accessorize like  Daddy with the jewelry etc, which would be ok if I liked all that shit the first place. If he got his own "look" and his own "spirit" and not try to incorporat his Dad's shtick into his own, I could better tolerate him.

 

And Antonia just grates on my nerves. I am not sure why. It has nothing to do with her over inflated sense of self, but just something about her personality that irks me. I am sure she gives a shit. 🤪

She is another they ram down our throats. There are some really great chef personalities out there, I wish they would showcase up and coming people more and let Antonia just be in her kitchen.

Edited January 21, 2022 by Fig Newton

[Yeah No]

On 1/20/2022 at 4:32 PM, mlp said:

Hunter was ever-present throughout the show last night even though he's totally unnecessary.  He adds nothing and the fact that he's being promoted so hard annoys me so much that I'm not sure how much longer I'm going to watch GGG even though I've always enjoyed it.

I hear you.  Hunter brings the show down and acts like it's bring your son to work day every time.  He really does nothing, doesn't have the personality for TV or the voice.  I'm sure everyone involved with the show acts like "The Emperor's New Clothes" with Guy about it, which is one reason why it's not going away.  I've also noticed that the tone of the show has become far less fun since the move to the new Flavortown market with or without Hunter.  When I watch reruns from the old set it's very noticeable.  Plus I don't like the colors of the new market.  I love those colors but somehow they don't feel like they're being used right in that setting.  They feel drab and dull and this show needs bright and energetic colors.  So between all of those things I'm also not sure how much longer I'm going to watch.

[Gramto6]

If FN thinks this is a good idea, promoting Hunter all over Guy's shows, they are sadly mistaken. For my watching time, I will skip Hunter every time!

[Yeah No]

1 minute ago, Gramto6 said:

If FN thinks this is a good idea, promoting Hunter all over Guy's shows, they are sadly mistaken. For my watching time, I will skip Hunter every time!

I took a look at that video of him doing that documentary above.  I could have done a better job at his age.  If he wants to be a TV host he has to learn how to speak first.  He swallows all of his words and speaks like a goofy kid.  That wouldn't be so bad if he didn't want a career on TV.  I actually wouldn't mind Guy opening doors for him and pushing him if he had any talent.

I remember seeing home videos of Jeff Mauro when he was a kid hamming it up for the camera.  It was obvious he had raw talent from day one.  Hunter not so much.  And the fact that after all this time he doesn't seem to be improving that much really bugs me.  He should be going for lessons in public speaking.  Maybe he has and this is as good as he can be.  Ugh.

[Gramto6]

I just don't think Hunter has the fire behind him that Guy did when he started his career as Food Network Star. If that show still ran, I doubt Hunter would last 2-3 eliminations. 

Just thinking, I wonder how Ryder really feels about all the focus on Hunter? Actually what I have seen from the Hawaii shows, I think Jules is the one with a presence that could be a tv  host.

Edited January 23, 2022 by Gramto6

[HyeChaps]

Back when he was a teenager, Hunter made an appearance on GGG.  I remember posting on one of these boards, "A star is born".  There must have been some hint of charisma.

[mlp]

16 hours ago, Yeah No said:

I'm sure everyone involved with the show acts like "The Emperor's New Clothes" with Guy about it, which is one reason why it's not going away. 

Yes!  I've been saying exactly the same thing to myself.  I can't really blame the other chefs though.  I don't know what any of them really think but Guy's shows have provided some income for them during the pandemic so I doubt they want to rock that boat.  

 

15 hours ago, Gramto6 said:

Just thinking, I wonder how Ryder really feels about all the focus on Hunter? Actually what I have seen from the Hawaii shows, I think Jules is the one with a presence that could be a tv  host.

Agree on both counts.  Jules is a lot better looking too.

 

Edited January 23, 2022 by mlp
add to comment

[LexieLily]

I'm sorry, but this new thing of "there's a check behind the door, you can choose that and not have to do the shopping spree!" is really lame and a weird downer ending to the show.

[Grizzly]

Happy to see Rocco not looking as puffy as he did last year.

[HyeChaps]

So I came across a program about Jim Belushi's cannabis farm.  He was visited by his good friend Guy (and Hunter).  Belushi made some cannabis ice cream for Guy.  Guy loved it.  They had a scene where the both of them were just smoking cigars by a pretty lake.  It was interesting to see Guy's business side as he was observing the whole operation.

[Ms Blue Jay]

I watch a lot of reruns of this show.  I don't care about the shopping spree at all and feel like it's kind of mean to make anyone do that (especially the elderly) so I always fast forward it because who cares.

I like most of the show but I hate when GGG does a "spicy" competition and the people from certain countries immediately panic and say "But we don't use spice in our cuisine!"  I've heard this from chefs from Cuba, Japan, China, etc. say this.  Obviously those countries have pockets where spicier food is used (I know that China does) but these particular chefs don't have experience with it.  Then they're always kicked out.  Sigh.  It's like those chefs are immediately set up to fail.

Spicy is not even one of the 5 core food tastes.  And I have some spicy cuisine in my heritage and I cook a lot of it so there's no bias here!

[FormerMod-a1]

Were last night's scores some of the lowest ever?  At least they were close to each other to not stand out too much, but that's some of the lowest taste scores I think I've seen. 

[schnauzergirl]

Wednesdy's show was an April Fool's tribute to Carl.  It was clear how loved he was and how he's missed.  A sweet tribute.

[Gramto6]

8 hours ago, schnauzergirl said:

Wednesdy's show was an April Fool's tribute to Carl.  It was clear how loved he was and how he's missed.  A sweet tribute.

I thought it was a sweet show too! Carl was certainly loved and respected by all the chefs. My heart weeps a little when he shows up on an older rerun.

[HyeChaps]

Damaris seemed to be especially missing Carl.

[Tippi]

I haven't been watching many of the newer shows.  I generally don't like the new scoring format and store layout as much as what they used to have.  I did catch some of the April 20 episode, a new one with All Star chefs.  Three were from the most recent TOC, including the winner Tiffani.  Joe Sasto was there, along with Justin (didn't catch his last name, not Justin Warner) and a younger chef that I didn't recognize.  They were given one hour to shop and prepare an appetizer, entree, and dessert.  I think Joe ended up winning.  I kind of like Joe, I hope he wasn't a jerk on his season of Top Chef!  He gives me sort of a Ron Livingston vibe.

I do like seeing Guy giving visibility to more chefs.  Some of them originally didn't make much of an impression on me, but seeing them in action on GGG has made me like them!  Example:  Justin Warner.  I wish FN would give him a weekly show and cut out some of the endless Pioneer Woman episodes.

[libgirl2]

8 minutes ago, Tippi said:

I haven't been watching many of the newer shows.  I generally don't like the new scoring format and store layout as much as what they used to have.  I did catch some of the April 20 episode, a new one with All Star chefs.  Three were from the most recent TOC, including the winner Tiffani.  Joe Sasto was there, along with Justin (didn't catch his last name, not Justin Warner) and a younger chef that I didn't recognize.  They were given one hour to shop and prepare an appetizer, entree, and dessert.  I think Joe ended up winning.  I kind of like Joe, I hope he wasn't a jerk on his season of Top Chef!  He gives me sort of a Ron Livingston vibe.

I do like seeing Guy giving visibility to more chefs.  Some of them originally didn't make much of an impression on me, but seeing them in action on GGG has made me like them!  Example:  Justin Warner.  I wish FN would give him a weekly show and cut out some of the endless Pioneer Woman episodes.

I don't like the new scoring format either, I feel it takes away that element of surprise for the audience and the chefs. 

I am really surprised Justin Warner doesn't have a show. They were falling all over themselves when he won NFNS and all  he seems to do is be on GGG. Maybe he is happy with that? 

[chessiegal]

1 minute ago, libgirl2 said:

I am really surprised Justin Warner doesn't have a show.

He was supposed to - that was the "prize". He didn't want to do the weekly show FN wanted him to do, and mucked around arguing with the network. Alton Brown even got frustrated with him. I think he wound up doing a few shows, specials of some sort. He was so full of himself, thought he knew better than anyone else. So here he is.

[libgirl2]

23 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

He was supposed to - that was the "prize". He didn't want to do the weekly show FN wanted him to do, and mucked around arguing with the network. Alton Brown even got frustrated with him. I think he wound up doing a few shows, specials of some sort. He was so full of himself, thought he knew better than anyone else. So here he is.

That's right! I forgot about all that. 

[CrazyInAlabama]

5 hours ago, Tippi said:

I haven't been watching many of the newer shows.  I generally don't like the new scoring format and store layout as much as what they used to have.  I did catch some of the April 20 episode, a new one with All Star chefs.  Three were from the most recent TOC, including the winner Tiffani.  Joe Sasto was there, along with Justin (didn't catch his last name, not Justin Warner) and a younger chef that I didn't recognize.  They were given one hour to shop and prepare an appetizer, entree, and dessert.  I think Joe ended up winning.  I kind of like Joe, I hope he wasn't a jerk on his season of Top Chef!  He gives me sort of a Ron Livingston vibe.

I do like seeing Guy giving visibility to more chefs.  Some of them originally didn't make much of an impression on me, but seeing them in action on GGG has made me like them!  Example:  Justin Warner.  I wish FN would give him a weekly show and cut out some of the endless Pioneer Woman episodes.

Joe Sasto and Tiffany, were on the show.    Justin and the other contestant were not anyone I remember, but apparently I don't remember a lot of them.  

I recognized Tiffani, but didn't know who the other two contestants were.   

Edited April 21, 2022 by CrazyInAlabama

[emmawoodhouse]

Justin Sutherland (the African American guy) also comes from Top Chef. He placed in the top 5 (forget who won his season...was it Kelsey?). He's also a co-host of the irreverent cooking show, Fast Foodies. That show is a lot of fun.

I've never seen the young gun before. But if he's opened like 17 restaurants, he must be doing something right. 

Edited April 21, 2022 by emmawoodhouse

[mlp]

3 hours ago, CrazyInAlabama said:

Joe and a couple of other contestants on their season were great guys, and called the Bears, or something like that.    When Fatima, the other contestant, was diagnosed with cancer, and eventually passed away, all of the contestants went to visit her.   I think Joe might be the one who took his baby daughter to meet her.    He looks very different than he used to, he's lost quite a bit of weight.   

I think you've got Joe Sasto confused with Joe Flamm, the "bear" who ended up winning that season (Colorado).  Joe Sasto doesn't look a bit different except his mustache is a little smaller.  If I remember correctly, he came in 4th.  I liked him on TC and I was glad he won last night.  I also like Justin Sutherland but I think he did himself in as his dishes weren't really high end.

[CrazyInAlabama]

Oops!   Thanks for the correction.   I get a lot of them mixed up. 

[libgirl2]

Watching an old episode with Chef Anthony Craig, who makes a point of saying he is Cuban and Chinese.  I ate at his restaurant in Traverse City Michigan.  Worst meal of my entire life. And he was there cooking. Turns out a few years ago he got in trouble for sexual harassment, shady tax dealings... and he is now a person non grata out there. 

[roseslg]

Can I say I hate when Guy cooks? He cooks these meals in like ten minutes and the judges fawn all over it.  Then Hunter stands in for him. Hunter is getting more annoying, especially when he's on the judging panel. I mean, you have chefs who have opened restaurants, have cooked on the line, and them Guy's son is judging them?  FoH.

[Maverick]

 I pretty much can't watch the new episodes, mostly because of Hunter.  

[Yeah No]

1 hour ago, Maverick said:

 I pretty much can't watch the new episodes, mostly because of Hunter.  

I'm behind a couple myself because of that.  The show has lost some of its charm for me.  Even the Carl tribute show was marred by Hunter all over the place.  The changes Guy has made have not helped the show at all and the worst one is Hunter.

[Yeah No]

On 4/21/2022 at 10:57 AM, chessiegal said:

He was supposed to - that was the "prize". He didn't want to do the weekly show FN wanted him to do, and mucked around arguing with the network. Alton Brown even got frustrated with him. I think he wound up doing a few shows, specials of some sort. He was so full of himself, thought he knew better than anyone else. So here he is.

I thought I read that he actually wanted to do one of those travel/eat shows and they let him do a pilot of one as promised for his win, but it was awful and it never turned into a series.  I'm still not clear on whether that format was his idea or what the network wanted him to do.  Everyone saw him as an Alton protégé and best suited for a quirky show similar to Alton's where he could do some wacky new "mad food scientist" things with food.  I would have thought that's what he'd have wanted to do and it confused me when he came out with that "pilot" after his win of him traveling down South and sampling BBQ and stuff like that.  Something that everyone and his uncle was doing back then.

I often wonder if it wasn't similar to what happened with Emeril.  They cancelled his long running "Emeril Live" show because they wanted him to do cooking competition shows like they eventually made everyone else do (including Alton) and he refused to do it.  And that's why he left.  

[emmawoodhouse]

@Yeah No, have you read the book on the history of FN? I read it years ago, and it was fascinating. I wish I could remember the title. 

And on topic, can't stand Hunter. Has he ever done anything independent of his father? Of course not.

[mlp]

29 minutes ago, emmawoodhouse said:

@Yeah No, have you read the book on the history of FN? I read it years ago, and it was fascinating. I wish I could remember the title. 

From Scratch: Inside the Food Network.  Author is Allen Salkin.  Very interesting.  I've been meaning to re-read it.

[Gramto6]

2 minutes ago, mlp said:

From Scratch: Inside the Food Network.  Author is Allen Salkin.  Very interesting.  I've been meaning to re-read it.

Interesting, does anyone know if it available online somewhere to read?

[emmawoodhouse]

23 minutes ago, mlp said:

From Scratch: Inside the Food Network.  Author is Allen Salkin.  Very interesting.  I've been meaning to re-read it.

Thank you! The old skool stuff was fascinating. Next Food Network Star was also covered. 

[Yeah No]

6 hours ago, emmawoodhouse said:

@Yeah No, have you read the book on the history of FN? I read it years ago, and it was fascinating. I wish I could remember the title. 

And on topic, can't stand Hunter. Has he ever done anything independent of his father? Of course not.

No I haven't, I'll have to look into it.  Never even knew it existed.  Thanks for the tip.

[chenoa333]

And now we get to see Guy's entire family, including his boring sons on the new show "Guy's Family Road Trip" (or something like that).

His son Hunter gives off a vibe that he wants to aspire to do something else in his life besides cooking but doesn't want to disappoint daddy. 

[schnauzergirl]

From what I've seen in the promo, Ryder wanted to skip the Family Road Trip altogether.