You’re Saying Guy Fieri’s Name Wrong

Guy Fieri is, by far, the biggest name to come out of Food Network. Yes, the channel features behemoths like Martha Stewart and Bobby Flay, but Fieri was born there, reshaped it into the channel it is today and remains its biggest sell with Diners, Drive-ins and Dives and Guy’s Grocery Games alike. However, despite being a household name, you might not be saying his name correctly. A look at his story shows where this disconnect occurs. 

The Fieri brand is successful

Fieri is not just a celebrity but a brand unto himself. He’s established a trend that goes beyond his name and makes the food industry less about fine-dining and more about appreciating those Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives throughout the nation. While many people label it as junk television, he fights that label. He spoke about this with Thrillist.

“Triple D gets misbranded all the time. ‘Oh, you’re that dude that eats the deep-fried pizza corn dog sandwiches.’ I’m like, everybody has their opinion on how they describe Star Wars. By no means are we a Star Wars, but everybody has their interpretations. If you really look at Triple D, and if you really go and investigate the shows, and the style, and how I do the shows,” he said. 

Fieri wants people to appreciate those food trucks and dives as much as they may local steakhouses. After all, he doesn’t go to places that put processed food through fryers. He goes where people build the food from scratch and wants the audience to appreciate the love in every bite. 

“When we get to a place and they’ll say, ‘we’re not making our soups,’ and ‘we’re not making our dressings,’ and — OK, you don’t have to bake all your buns, I’ll give you that. I’m not the greatest baker. But, these other pieces, it does make a difference. If the key ingredient in their pimento cheese sandwich is pimento cheese, then they better be making it,” Fieri said. 

This is why he’s a household name. However, that household name is constantly mispronounced. 

It’s all in a name

Anyone who has watched the show likely heard the Italian trill that Fieri puts on to his name. Delish notes that he was born Guy Ferry.

He switched back to the roots of his family’s changed name when he married his wife in 1995. This let him explore the roots and take back the original mispronunciation. However, despite the constant reminder of the “fee-eddy” pronunciation by the host, people still pronounce the R the American way. 

Fieri is unlike any food celebrity in history: His name has become bigger than himself. As such, next time you are talking about his work with your friends, think about the way you say it. After all, Fieri reminds us every time he starts his show. 

Guy Fieri is a household name

Food Network notes Fieri was already a successful restaurant owner and competitive cooker in Gilroy, California when he entered Food Network as a contestant on Food Network Star. There, his undeniable energy combined with his love for food made him a shoo-in for victory. But, after taking home the gold, it’s safe to say that Fieri and Food Network were never the same. 

While Fieri dipped his toes into standard cooking shows, he became better known for his personality than his actual cooking. This made him a perfect host for Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, which allows him to tour the country in his vintage red Camaro around America, showcasing the small food businesses that keep communities around the world going. 

His presence doesn’t stop there. From his wildly successful cooking competitions to appearances around the network, other Food Network personalities might be as famous as Fieri. Still, few are as important as the restaurateur. Fieri has become an industry unto itself, from his memorable Twitter presence to non-stop work for charitable causes worldwide. 

He’s obviously a  household name, but Fieri is also something bigger.