Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

NYT Staff Held Party at Guy Fieri’s New Times Square Restaurant Prior to Scathing Review in Paper
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS ^ | FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 16 | JOYCE CHEN

Posted on 11/17/2012 5:54:37 PM PST by nickcarraway

The most recent development in the ongoing verbal sparring between New York Times dining critic Pete Wells and TV food personality Guy Fieri has escalated the bickering to a whole new level of unseemliness.

Awkward, party of one! The most recent development in the ongoing verbal sparring between New York Times dining critic Pete Wells and TV food personality Guy Fieri has escalated the bickering to a whole new level of unseemliness.

After Fieri defended himself to the dining community at large during an interview on the “Today” show Thursday, a panel of experts — comprised of Star Jones, Donny Deutsch and Dr. Phil — sounded off on Wells’ unrelenting review.

Dr. Phil, in particular, called Wells’ piece unnecessarily mean-spirited and self-serving. He also had this tidbit to add to the fray: “And by the way, last night, they hosted — the New York Times — hosted a 160-person party at that restaurant.”

Food industry site The Braiser investigated the claim and discovered that the New York Times had indeed held an event at Fieri’s American Kitchen and Bar on the same day that Wells’ review appeared.

A representative for the paper initially denied any links to the restaurant, but later confirmed that an ad sales department “hosted an event for clients at the restaurant last night. The event was planned two months ago.”

Wells’ review of the Times Square haunt has since gone viral on Twitter and the food reviewer’s zingers are still circulating the Internet.

“Hey, did you try that blue drink, the one that glows like nuclear waste?” he wrote. “The watermelon margarita? Any idea why it tastes like some combination of radiator fluid and formaldehyde?

“When we hear the words Donkey Sauce, which part of the donkey are we supposed to think about?” he continued.

And the now infamous: “Why did the toasted marshmallow taste like fish?”

Fieri, who flew into New York City the next morning to do an interview on the “Today” show, dismissed the review as ridiculous.

“I thought it was ridiculous. That to me was so overboard,” Fieri said. “We’re trying as hard as we can to make it right, to do it right.

“Is it perfect right now? No. Are we striving for it? Yeah.”


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Food
KEYWORDS: media; newyorktimes; restaurants
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-28 last
To: Salamander
By a strange coincidence,



neither was Techno Viking.


21 posted on 11/17/2012 8:43:42 PM PST by shibumi (Cover it with gas and set it on fire.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Coldwater Creek

I went to that place on Broad many many months ago for lunch. Ordered fried chicken. It was overcooked - almost burnt. Never went back. Maybe I should give it a second try.

I saw Fieri’s review of a place on Highland in Memphis too and thought it looked/sounded good. I tried it for lunch a few days later and had the worst/sweetest greens I’ve ever tasted.


22 posted on 11/17/2012 9:25:34 PM PST by bluetick (If you're going to err, err on the side of liberty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: shibumi

LOL

Love that guy.


23 posted on 11/17/2012 10:04:48 PM PST by Salamander (If animals could speak, mankind would weep. Anthony Douglas Williams)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: GrouchoTex

Maybe they hte him because he dared to put “AMERICAN” in the title!!


24 posted on 11/18/2012 12:53:01 AM PST by Ann Archy (ABORTION....the HUMAN sacrifice to the god of CONVENIENCE.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: bluetick

Sorry that you had a bad experience at the Three Angel’s. I also had the fried chicken. I like my chicken cold, and was surprised that they offered it. Mine was great and I have a rep for the best FC in town.

BYW, the “Old Broad” has really been resurrected.


25 posted on 11/18/2012 4:54:31 AM PST by Coldwater Creek (He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadows of the Almighty Psalm 91:)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: bluetick

How bout those football Tigers yesterday?


26 posted on 11/18/2012 4:56:18 AM PST by Coldwater Creek (He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadows of the Almighty Psalm 91:)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Coldwater Creek

It was nice to see the Tigers beat their rival handily in the last game the two may ever play. I am a Tennessee alumnus, so yesterday was a really dark day.


27 posted on 11/18/2012 9:26:16 AM PST by bluetick (If you're going to err, err on the side of liberty.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: nickcarraway
Don't like the NYT’s, but thsi review was one of the best I've ever read. Guy has an ego as big as the Grand Canyon, and although his menu offers a big “WOW” factor, it doesn't deliver. Guy is phoning it in and hoping his name will carry him through with mediocre food. It probably will. The restaurant is huge, just like his ego, and the location will ensure a lot of foot traffic from tourists who don't know good food from bad, only that this man is a celebrity. There are a lot of high volume restaurants out there serving crappy food at high prices. They survive for many reasons, and celebrity is but one of many.
28 posted on 11/18/2012 9:46:54 AM PST by Mase (Save me from the people who would save me from myself!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-28 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson