Guy Fieri Talks Instilling Work Ethic in His Children: ‘On Their Way’
By Movieguide® Contributor
While Food Network star Guy Fieri has built an empire from his restaurants and series, he has limitations in place for his children before they earn their share.
Fieri sat down with Fox News Digital to discuss how he’s teaching his kids to be self-sufficient, despite his Flavortown success.
“Shaq said it best,” Fieri revealed. “Shaq said, ‘If you want this cheese, you got to get to two degrees.’ Well, my two degrees mean, you know, postgraduate.” His two sons, Hunter and Ryder, and nephew Jules (whom he’s raised since the 2011 death of his sister) must obtain two college degrees to claim their inheritance.
Fieri credits his father for instilling a strong work ethic in him. “I’ve told them the same thing my dad told me. My dad says, ‘When I die, you can expect that I’m going to die broke, and you’re going to be paying for the funeral,'” he shared. “And I told my boys, ‘None of this that we’ve been…that I’ve been building are you going to get unless you come and take it from me.'”
His son Ryder, who is a high school senior, was not thrilled to learn the parameters. “Dad, this is so unfair,” he said. “I haven’t even gone to college yet, and you’re already pushing that I’ve got to get an MBA? Can I just get through college?”
The proud dad boasted about his nephew’s career path. “Jules is in the music industry down in L.A. He’s in the law program at Loyola Marymount right now,” Fieri said. “If you’re going to be a big-time entertainment agent, you need to have that law background. So, he’s doing that.”
His oldest son Hunter graduated from Fieri’s alma mater, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, according to PEOPLE.
“They’re on their way,” he bragged.
Fieri announced Hunter’s engagement to Tara Bernstein on Instagram in November 2023. “Congrats to @hunterfieri and @taralynn.nyc. You two are made for each other. Welcome to the family, Tara,” he captioned the photo of the happy couple.
Movieguide® previously reported on Fieri’s commitment to his family:
Reflecting on his fame, Fieri said, “Most of my friends will [say] I haven’t changed. I think it’s because when I got into television, I’d already done what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a great dad. Family is always the first priority.”
The chef also talked about how he kept his sons grounded.
“You know what Ryder drove to school [when] he got his license? He got my parents’ old, used 259,000-mile Chrysler minivan,” he shared. “I want the boys to be self-sufficient.”
“[Dad’s] always leading by example,” son Hunter said. “Seeing how much he cares and how, even though he is so busy all the time, he focuses a lot of effort on doing fundraisers . . . it’s eye-opening to me.”
In addition to his work with the Food Network and raising his sons, Fieri is also a devoted humanitarian. Most recently, the chef raised $25 million to help struggling hospitality workers who were losing money during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If you’re the guy that owns the shovel, why wouldn’t you help dig the hole?” Fieri explained. “I want to make a positive impact. When it’s all over, I just hope people say, ‘Guy was good for mankind. Guy helped.’”
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