In less than four weeks, America will turn its eyes to Houston for Super Bowl LI, but this week the Bayou City has become Flavortown. Celebrity chef, TV host, and author Guy Fieri has been in Houston since Monday filming at local restaurants for upcoming episodes of his popular Food Network show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Fieri's visit appears to be the first time he's filmed in Houston since 2009, when his stops included Kenny & Ziggy's, Niko Niko's, the Red Lion Pub, Cafe Pita+, and Lankford Grocery. By poring through social media, CultureMap has identified at least six restaurants that are getting the Triple-D treatment.
In Fieri's only tweet since his arrival, he's standing with Astros legend Jeff Bagwell outside of the Original Irma's, the downtown Mexican restaurant known for its eclectic decor, an oral menu that sometimes induces sticker shock in first-timers, and delicious homestyle cuisine.
Great to have Jeff Bagwell from the @astros on the set of #DDD in houston pic.twitter.com/0XdSE9A0yX
— Guy Fieri (@GuyFieri) January 9, 2017Bagwell isn't the only Houston sports hero that Fieri's met during his visit. At Cuchara, the chef hung out with former Oilers quarterback Dan Pastorini.
So this happened earlier today at #Cuchara in #Houston TX. #DanPastorini and #GuyFieri
Jan 10, 2017 at 4:46pm PST
Of course, Fieri's itineray has included a number of restaurants that showcase Houston's diversity including Jamaican restaurant Cool Runnings, Galleria-area Lebanese restaurant Cafe Lili, West Houston favorite The Original Marini's Empanada House, and Q-Shi, the Spring restaurant that blends barbecue and sushi, which sounds as though it would be pretty irresistible to the man who created Donkey Sauce.
Kerry Stessel, administrator of the 25,000-plus member Facebook group The Woodlands/Spring area Texas Foodie Club, documented Fieri's visit to Q-Shi with photos taken during the filming, including snapshots of Fieri's red Chevrolet Chevelle SS (instead of his signature Camaro) parked in front of the restaurant. "I would like to congratulate our own local Ray Aker and his fantastic crew at Q-Shi BBQ and Sushi," Stessel writes. "I hope Q Shi gets crazy busy from the well deserved exposure. Ray, you guys better hang on!"
No word on whether Fieri has other stops to make or when the episodes featuring the Houston-area restaurants will air, yet. Regardless, it's always good to see the city get a little time in the national spotlight, especially these smaller, family-run restaurants that sometimes fly under the media radar.
Fieri will be back in Houston for the Super Bowl, where he will host The Players Tailgate Party before the big game on February 5.
Guy Fieri and Jeff Bagwell in front of Irma's in downtown Houston.
Find Taste of Gold near gate A8. Courtesy of Houston Airports