On Tournament of Champions, Food Network and host Guy Fieri gather 32 chefs for a single-elimination culinary competition. With head-to-head battles and twists, the show pushes even the most accomplished chefs to their limits.
Outside the arena, Fieri’s famous catchphrase 'Flavortown' has become a recognizable part of food pop culture. It also serves as a theme across his restaurants, merchandise, and media appearances. His fans on social media usually react to memes from Guy Fieri’s standout moments, sharing clips, screenshots, and edits that highlight his persona.
For the unversed, Guy Fieri began his television career in 2006 with the Food Network show Guy’s Big Bite. He is also known for hosting Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Guy’s Grocery Games, and Tournament of Champions.
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In 1996, Fieri opened his first restaurant, Johnny Garlic’s, in Santa Rosa, California. Since then, his culinary empire has expanded to include multiple restaurants across the U.S. and abroad, including partnerships with cruise lines and entertainment venues. Fieri has also authored cookbooks such as Guy on Fire and developed packaged food products under the Flavortown brand.
Tournament of Champions' Guy Fieri's 5 memes that took the internet by storm
1) The "You know I had to do it to em" meme
Tournament of Champions star Guy Fieri shared a post on X on October 1, 2019 with a caption that read:
"#TFW you’re in line at a coffee shop and realize it’s officially Pumpkin Spice season. 🎃☕️."
The post quickly caught the attention of his followers, sparking a wave of creative responses. One user (@BRAD_IS_ONLINE) mimicked Guy's pose and placed that image alongside chef's original picture.
2) Guy Fieri takes on Fortnite
On October 17, 2019, Guy Fieri shared an X post, featuring an edited image of himself standing alongside a character from Fortnite. The image was further enhanced with a "Flavortown" Hollywood-style sign in the background, blending the worlds of gaming and Fieri’s iconic brand.
3) Guy Fieri visits Bikini Bottom
In November 2019, Tournament of Champions host Fieri shared a playful, edited image of himself on a boat in front of the fictional Krusty Krab restaurant from SpongeBob SquarePants. This image and caption quickly sparked reactions from his followers, with one user humorously commenting:
"I didn’t know you could breathe under water 😯."
4) Guy Fieri's space exploration
In August 2019, Guy Fieri shared an edited image of himself in a NASA space suit, accompanied by a caption referencing his flavors as being "out of this world." Combining a space theme with his culinary brand, he playfully captioned the post to match his adventurous persona. A user responded with the comment:
"One small step for man, one giant step for flavor kind."
5) Guy Fieri's return as Mayor of Flavortown
In November 2018, the Tournament of Champions host shared a humorous meme announcing, "BREAKING: Guy Fieri re-elected as Mayor of Flavortown." In his caption, he expressed gratitude to the community with the message:
"Thanks to all the hard-working community members of Flavortown. It was a delicious campaign and we are rollin' out for another 4 years."
During his appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on February 27, 2025, Fieri spoke about how his catchprase became famous:
“‘Flavortown’ was this mythical place [I’d go] every time I’d try something really great. The first time, I think, it started is I had this gigantic pizza … I held [the pizza pan] and said, ‘Look at this thing! It’s like the steering wheel on the bus going to Flavortown.’ That’s all I said!”
His national food initiatives
According to his Tournament of Champions bio, Guy Fieri has also contributed to national food programs. In 2011, he launched Cooking With Kids (CWK), aimed at promoting healthy eating and family engagement in the kitchen.
He helped draft California legislation declaring the second Saturday in May as Cook With Your Kids Day. In 2011, the state legislature extended this recognition to every Sunday. Fieri also promoted this idea at the national level, including a visit to the White House to support its broader adoption.
Moreover, through Armed Forces Entertainment, he has traveled to locations including the Persian Gulf and Guantanamo Bay to support U.S. service members through culinary events.
Catch Tournament of Champions on Food Network at 8 PM ET and stream it on Max.
