Chef and television personality Guy Fieri on the red carpet prior to the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards. (Getty)
Author and television personality Guy Fieri is more than just the face of the Food Network– he’s a big personality with frosted tips and a lot of money. The host of the hit series Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, has a reported net worth of $8.5 million, which he makes through a variety of off and on-screen endeavors. But where exactly does Fieri’s money come from, and how does he spend it? Read on to find out.
1. He Was a New York Times #1 Best-Seller For Over 12 Weeks
Fieri got his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Hospitality Management in 1990. (Instagram/guyfieri)
Fieri released his first book, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: An All-American Road Trip, in October 2008. One year later, he came out with a follow-up book, More Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: Another Drop-Top Culinary Cruise Through America’s Finest and Funkiest Joints. Both pieces were New York Time’s #1 Best Sellers, where they sat for over twelve weeks. Fieri’s success in this endeavor prompted him to write a cookbook, Guy Fieri Food, which hit the shelves in 2011.
2. He Gets $100,000 For Personal Appearances
According to Business Insider, Fieri was paid $100,000 to show up at a New York State Fair for just one hour in 2012. This amount is on par with what both Kylie Jenner and Simon Cowell charge for personal appearances. With that kind of dough, it looks like the foodie may not need to eat at too many drive-ins, after all!
3. He Has His Own Line of Barbecue Sauces and Salsas
Guy Fieri attends Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & in Miami Beach, Florida. (Getty)
In 1996, Fieri opened his first restaurant, Johnny Garlic’s, with his business partner Steve Gruber. The two continued to open new restaurants in various locations across the US, including one Dublin, California, in 2011. That same year, Fieri launched a line of BBQ sauces and salsas. He told Hot Sauce, “I’ve eaten barbeque all over the country, so when I developed these sauces, I drew inspiration from coast to coast.” Fieri’s sauces contain no fat, cholesterol, or high fructose corn syrup– three are also gluten-free.
4. He Collects Classic Cars
Guy Fieri has a vast collection of yellow cars http://t.co/VFgswBg6xl http://t.co/glaEWShhQg
Fieri is a classic car enthusiast. His first big buy was a 1971 Chevelle, which, according to the Food Network, he paid for using the $12,000 he’d saved up and stashed in an old UGG boot. In 2014, The Food Network featured Fieri in an issue of Food Network Magazine, where they pictured his signature neon-yellow car collection. A Shelby Cobra, Corvette, Aston, and Chevrolet Kodiak are just a few of the rides that make up his impressive collection. Check it out here.
5. Before Fame, He Made Money Selling Pretzels
Aaron May, Jeff Googel, Guy Fieri, Jennifer Chaplin and Jason Hodes pose at the 2016 Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach Wine &. (Getty)
According to The Food Network, Fieri paid for a trip to Chantilly, France, by selling pretzels on a bicycle cart called “The Awesome Pretzel” for six years. It was there that he studied as an exchange student, and “gained a profound appreciation for international cuisine and the lifestyle associated with it.”