Flavortown Lost

Twenty-eight of the Best Twitter Reactions to the New York Times’ Guy Fieri Takedown

How's he doing today?
How’s he doing today? Photo: John W. Ferguson/Getty Images

If you’re like us, you were woken up at 2 a.m. by a call from your 80-year-old grandmother in Butte wondering who exactly this Pete Wells person is and what did Guy Fieri ever do to him that would cause the New York Times to publish such a negative review of the Food Network host’s sprawling 500-seat restaurant in Times Square. The review — in which Wells compares the house margaritas to radiator fluid and formaldehyde and ruminates, in an all-question format, about the exact origins of Guy’s “Donkey Sauce” — has now been tweeted around the world. As should be expected, Wells has some new fans, and Fieri has some staunch supporters here in New York. But the rest of the county? Let’s just see what @teenmom4evr has to say about all of this.

@pete_wells Are you serious with the Guys Fieri review?? You sound like an asshole! @notsam @opieradio @guyfieri— DT Gee ┌∩┐(◣_◢)┌∩┐ (@GeesDevilsTail) November 14, 2012

The horrible review of Guy Fieri’s New York restaurant makes me sad. I met him before he was famous, and he had a real passion for good food— Big Poppa (@saynine) November 14, 2012

Guy Fieri served me my first pork slider w/ cole slaw ever, from a trailer booth at our county fair. For free, told me to pay if I loved it.— Big Poppa (@saynine) November 14, 2012

@guyfieri f%ck #petewells and his review. #peoplesuck. #karma.— Me (@YoonYunJack) November 14, 2012

Im definitely speechless… My feelings hurt for Guy Fieri.mobile.nytimes.com/2012/11/14/din…— Erica Ashmeade (@Plate_Pgh) November 14, 2012

goddamit guy fieri is a genuine nice guy. a real dude that loves big flavor. leave him alone.— teenmom (@teenmom4evr) November 14, 2012

@pete_wells Your review sucks on Guy Fieri. You talk about food like it’s a book— Mike Donaghy (@mikedee718) November 14, 2012

@guyfieri fuck the review!!!!— Logan Crowley (@Irishradical) November 14, 2012

@jodikantor @pete_wells @guyfieri Yikes! IS this real? I’ve eaten at Johnny Garlics in the bay area and LOVED it. I hope this is an off day.— Maggie Jaimeson (@maggiejaimeson) November 14, 2012

The NYT’s review of Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen exemplifies the “elite liberal media” voice that much of the US hates nytimes.com/2012/11/14/din…— Drew Breunig (@dbreunig) November 13, 2012


Team Wells

@pete_wells I WORSHIP YOU— Marisa Bowe (@MarisaBowe) November 14, 2012

@pete_wells most shocking thing in the review? $31.50 for an entree? and ppl say Next / Alinea are too expensive?— nick kokonas (@nickkokonas) November 13, 2012

@pete_wells This is a lifetime achievement review. A Stairway To Heaven in food criticism. GREAT one. Thank you.— Lora Kolodny (@lorakolodny) November 13, 2012

As Not Seen on TV nyti.ms/UBj1bXGuy Fieri’s NYC restaurant get the review of a lifetime. This is art.The magnum opus of #snark.— skywalkerspock (@SkywalkerSpock) November 14, 2012

Guy Fieri takes it in the ass from the NY Times.So awesome. nytimes.com/2012/11/14/din…: Guy Fieri takes it in the as… bit.ly/SmxMcz— NYT Pirate (@NYTPirate) November 14, 2012

In other news:NYT reviewer Pete Wells seen feasting on the Guy Fieri’s now shriveled soul. #SavageNYT nyti.ms/UBj1bX— Ando Muneno (@AndoMuneno) November 14, 2012

@mikeisaac Guy Fieri’s restaurant shouldn’t even exist.— april_conyers (@april_conyers) November 13, 2012

Pete Wells is straight-up ASSASSIN here!»Restaurant Review: Guy’s American Kitchen & Bar in Times Square nyti.ms/SZCqjJ— Zeke Rodriguez (@Zeke512Atx) November 14, 2012

@guyfieri Ouch. Sucks to be you right about now. nyti.ms/ZFmQvI— George Duran (@GeorgeDuranEats) November 14, 2012

Honestly, after reading that article on Guy Ferry’s (real name) cluster in Times Square I want to be @pete_wells when I grow up.— Kevin McKenzie (@AmusingMyBouche) November 13, 2012


Daaaaamn, Pete Wells!

That NYT Guy Fieri review was a bit cheap for my liking. Vulgar and unnecessary.— kai macmahon (@kaimac) November 14, 2012

Someone call the NYPD, my man @pete_wells is wanted for the murder of Guy Fieri’s new restaurant nyti.ms/UBj1bX— Justin McElroy (@JustinMcElroy) November 14, 2012

I’m not at all happy about @guyfieri getting shit on by some douchy, NY Times know-nothing. The problem was that the column was hilarious…— Dave LaPointe (@dave_lapointe) November 14, 2012

nytimes.com/2012/11/14/din… oh my @guyfieri you got ripped apart! Check in with your restaurant, or tell this writer to get a real job!— Matt Sutherland (@mattysuds) November 14, 2012

Deeply sad & utterly hilarious. My favorite restaurant panning since @frankbruni ‘s “gastronomic apocalypse” comments.nyti.ms/UBj1bX— Andrew Scrivani (@AndrewScrivani) November 14, 2012

.@andrewzimmern @pete_wells Calling Guy Fieri disrespectful of food is like calling a 9-on-1 prison shower gang rape an “inconvenience”— Jake Whiting (@JakeWhiting) November 13, 2012

Update: Fieri himself has responded to the review.

Related: To the Brim: Crazy Legs Conti Versus Guy Fieri’s American Kitchen and Bar

Twenty-eight of the Best Twitter Reactions to the New York Times