Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo Catches Fieri Early
Posted on August 23, 2008 by Gary McCarty
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That’s supposed to be a play on "catches fire," but in the best tradition of Alton Brown, it didn’t really work out right.
Anyway, the annual Western Foodservice and Hospitality Expo opened today in Los Angeles, and the first chef to demonstrate on the main stage was Food Network’s sole (so far) "Next Food Network Star," Guy Fieri.
Nominally, he presented what he called his "chow mein," Chinese noodles with Hoisin-and-soy-infused chicken garnished with scallions and garlic (which he burned during the demo), but his presentation turned out to be all about how to give a cooking demonstration.
Since I have no desire a) to be a professional chef or b) give cooking demonstrations, I was a bit disappointed that he didn’t focus on the dish more, but his chow mein was pretty easy to figure out just by tasting it.
At least Guy didn’t subject us to his Aunt Mildred’s Sliced Watermelon recipe (you must see this technique to believe it!).
Best news is that he and Food TV are coming out in October with a Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives book listing and describing Fieri’s favorite stops on the popular show.
I remember when he was trying out on Next Food Network Star, the judges kept telling Guy to quit talking about restaurant insider info, but given a stage to himself, that’s exactly what he did today–giving us an insider’s look at the nuts and bolts behind cooking demonstrations.
I would’ve been content just to learn neat recipes and better cooking techniques. However, Fieri did fulfill the entertainment quotient the audience was mostly seeking.
The Expo continues through Monday, Aug. 25, at which time I’ll attend a demo by Thai chef Tommy Tang and let you know how he does.
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