Following his Today Show appearance this morning to defend his honor against Pete Wells’ scathing, blistering, rhetorically questioning review in The New York Times on Tuesday, Guy Fieri’s PR team released the following statement.
“I wholeheartedly disagree with The New York Times’ Review of Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar. My philosophy on life is what drives my attitude towards food. As a kid, I used to make four-course sushi meals for my parents and our family friends. I got hooked on food because I saw the way people reacted; the atmosphere around a family dinner, dining out with friends and family – it was contagious.
“At my restaurants, we always try to live by a very simple notion: that food brings people together. I’ve learned that not everyone agrees with my style. The Times’ critic, Pete Wells, clearly did not enjoy his experience. I normally do not respond to reviews or critics, however, given the tone of Pete’s piece, it’s clear to me that he went into my restaurant with his mind already made up. That’s unfortunate. I take comments from patrons, fans and visitors very seriously, and if there is ever a problem with our service, I’ll fix it.
“We’ve only been open a short while, but I’ve seen countless people come to my restaurant – families, fans, tourists, and yes, even New Yorkers – looking to get away for an hour or two, and they’ve had a great experience and a meal that they enjoyed. Like the hundreds of diners, drive-ins and dives I’ve featured on my show, I’ve incorporated my passion and love for food into my restaurants. I’m proud of the food we put out, and always will be.”
There will be more to come, we’re sure.
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