Before Food Network Made Him A Star, Guy Fieri Never Even Tuned Into Its Shows

Guy Fieri is one of the Food Network's biggest stars, and he's been gracing our screens for so long now that it's hard to imagine the channel without him. The iconic, spikey-haired chef was first introduced to viewers through a competition show called "Next Food Network Star" all the way back in 2006, when he was just a humble (but successful) Californian restaurateur. Since then, he's become a stalwart on our screens and the face of a number of legendary Food Network shows like "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," "Guys Grocery Games," and more.

But apparently, Fieri wasn't actually a huge fan of the channel before "Next Food Network Star." In fact, he revealed in an interview that he actually didn't watch it at all. Speaking to Marc Summers on his podcast, "Marc Summers Unwraps," Fieri said that he went into the show completely blind. "I don't even know what I was doing there ... I hadn't seen the show. I hadn't even watched the Food Network," he told the host.

The reason he never turned the channel on was simple: He didn't want to watch people cook after spending an entire day working in a kitchen. He told Summers, "People would ask me all the time, 'You watch the Food Network?' and I'm like, 'I work in the restaurant business. I cook every day. You think I'm going to come home and watch a show about people cooking?' Crazy."

Fast forward two decades, and you can't turn on the Food Network without seeing Guy Fieri somewhere in the schedule. The decorated host has been nominated for numerous Primetime and Daytime Emmy awards in the 20 years since the premiere of his first Food Network show, "Guys Big Bite," and he's been given the opportunity to appear on countless other TV shows and special broadcasts. He was even given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his television work in 2019 — no small feat for someone who's first food business sold this popular snack.

His big break really came with the premiere of the first full season of "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" in 2007. Once again, Fieri had no idea what he was really getting into when the show was pitched to him — and he was actually pretty lucky to get the call, seeing as he had refused another Food Network show a number of times. But with 30 seasons and counting, multiple bestselling cookbooks, and a massive food and beverage empire under his belt, it's safe to say that even if Fieri wasn't a big Food Network guy when he first started out — he certainly must be a fan now.