Guy Fieri's burgeoning celebrity on the Food Network has him running from his home in Santa Rosa to New York to film this show and that, but he hasn't abandoned plans to open a Sacramento restaurant, reports his business partner, Steve Gruber.
Their Tex Wasabi's now is expected to open around mid-December. Staff is being hired and training is to start right after Thanksgiving, says Gruber. Fieri and Gruber had hoped to have the place open by now, but construction issues more than Fieri's filming itinerary have delayed the debut.
The two began to plan a Tex Wasabi's in the Arden Arcade neighborhood just as Fieri won the reality show "The Next Food Network Star," which led to his own show, "Guy's Big Bite." He's in New York filming 13 new episodes of the show, which are to begin appearing just after the start of the new year. He also was the host of the Food Network special "Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives."
Gruber says Fieri is pitching the Food Network to do a live cooking show at one of the Tex Wasabi's, either the original in Santa Rosa or the Sacramento branch. Tex Wasabi is a fictional chef whose culinary style runs to "rock 'n roll sushi" and Southern barbecue. In addition to smoked pork ribs and Cajun catfish, the menu is to include such sushi rolls as the "kemosabe," tapioca rice paper filled with brisket, onions, french fries and a garlic and chile pepper mayonnaise.
The Sacramento Tex Wasabi's, along Arden Way just east of Howe Avenue, is to seat nearly 300 inside, another 80 outside, says Gruber. "It's a monster," he adds.
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