The tale behind a restaurant intrigues producers and Fieri. For selection, the presenter stated Food Network Magazine that a venue must have "food, story, and character".
After all, that's the first step in getting cast! "I was not familiar at all," Niki Stavrou, owner of Victor's 1959 Cafe in Minneapolis told Twin City Business magazine of DDD. "They were interested in featuring us, possibly.
The production team compiles all of their research and puts it into a list of options about two months before filming starts—then the host makes the final decision about where to go.
With so many restaurants clamoring for a spot on the show, many wonder what it takes to catch Fieri's eye. "Guy will spot a unique ingredient or a way of preparing a dish that's different and chooses that,"
The show loves spots that cook from scratch. Painstaking barbecue methods and secret family recipes have been known to entice Fieri as well.
Page told Heavy Table that circa 2009 the show shot at seven restaurants in every city they visited.
The show typically films for two days, although some establishments have said they were closed for as long as four days. During this time, the crew captures B-roll and films the cooking segments with Fieri.
The best on-screen interactions are with chefs who can serve up witty banter right along with Fieri. But mind his catchphrases, like "Flavortown" or "funkalicious." Those are for the host!