Flavortown for the holidays
Seasonal milkshakes arrive at Chicken Guy!
“I’m a strong flavor person,” says Guy Fieri from his northern California ranch. And that’s evident.
His first restaurant was called Johnny Garlic’s, which is probably proof enough, though you can add to that a dessert concept he spun up a couple of years into its run: Breath Mint Pie.
“A lady came in and brought me this pie made with the whole, green creme de menthe thing, but it was mint and chocolate,” Fieri recalls. “She said, ‘This is what people need when they come here: a breath mint.’ ”
Fieri took her advice, cobbling together an Oreo-Junior Mint Frankenstein that’s well repped as the Triple Double Mint milkshake at his Disney Springs outpost, Chicken Guy!, where 22 different sauces have earned it its “Boss of Sauce” designation and where two brand-new holiday shakes — the Sweet Holiday Cookie and Minty Frozen Peppermint Cocoa Milkshakes — will be available through year’s end.
“I love milkshakes,” he says unapologetically. “They’re kind of like pizza: When they’re good, they’re really good, and when they’re bad... well, we know most of them don’t even have milk in them. It’s just frozen white sugar stuff.”
For Fieri, though, ingredients are king, as is his Flavortown philosophy of go big or go home.
“If you’re going to eat it, make it great. If you’re going to go for those calories, go for it with fun ingredients. Make it creative. I want to find chunks of peppermint. I want to find hunks of chocolate.”
And you will in the mintier for
these two limited-run options, with loads of M&Ms, marshmallow whipped cream, sugar cookies and holiday sprinkles in the other.
Charity is big in Fieri’s world year-round, “but during the holidays
it’s so important.” As such, his Guy Fieri Foundation includes an annual toy drive amid its roster of good works. “Keeping up with the Joneses is a real thing, especially for kids.” And so one dollar from every holiday milkshake sold will be donated to the Baby DJ program, which has been providing assistance to economically disadvantaged families in Central Florida for three decades.
Fieri’s an unabashed fan of the region, he says. In part for the weather, he jokes, but also because of how the Orlando area has welcomed Chicken Guy! and provided insight into the business.
“Doing this in Orlando was pivotal ... and it’s been a great proving ground. We’ve learned a lot about volume and consistency and fan base and creativity by being there.”
It’s also no secret that he’s made some great connections here, Se7enbites’ chef/owner Trina Gregory-Propst being primo.
“She’s the best,” he says of Orlando’s winningest Food Network competitor. “She crushes it. And she’s quite the personality.” The city has one, too, he notes. “Wherever you show me a large contingent of people coming together, I will show you the food scene elevating. It’s one of the reasons we wanted to bring Chicken Guy! here. Because we knew we’d have a large influx of customers from around the world, people who were looking to enjoy themselves and have a good time.”