Hunter Fieri Opens Up About Being 'Guy Fieri's Son' and His First Solo Project
"I want to get into that realm of walking outside of my dad's shadow," says Hunter Fieri, 25, who recently filmed a mini-documentary with ZENB pasta
Hunter Fieri is rolling out on his own.
The eldest son of Guy Fieri, who has appeared on his dad's shows Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, Guy's Grocery Games, and more, debuted his first solo project late last year. Hunter, 25, traveled to a farm in North Dakota to film a mini-documentary on how ZENB makes their yellow pea pasta for a partnership he has with the plant-based brand.
"It's my first time really going out there by myself and believing in something and getting after it," he tells PEOPLE of the easy-to-watch, 12-minute documentary called "What Plants Can Do."
Guy and Hunter are inseparable on the Food Network star's shows, so naturally, there was some hesitation to go at this alone.
"I was very nervous," Hunter admits. "I didn't know what to look for. I didn't know what to do in the sense of how do I watch over myself while also playing the role of the star of the documentary? But I just took what I learned from my dad and from his manager and from all the friends and mentors that helped me along the way. And I just remembered what I was taught, and I put everything I had forward."
Though they share similar facial hair, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas graduate says his dad's biggest piece of advice is "to be myself." He adds: "Always listen, be smart, and apply what you've learned. And he always told me, 'You can't be just Guy Fieri's son. If you really want to take over this world, you got to be Hunter Fieri,' and that's just what I think about."
But being "Guy Fieri's son" has its perks, of course, and Hunter doesn't take them for granted.
"I get so many opportunities to learn from other people and I get to experience some amazing places and experiences. I can't complain at all. It is amazing," he says.
Outside of work, the father-son duo are often fishing, hiking or cooking at the family's ranch in Northern California. (His younger brother Ryder, 16, an aspiring NBA player, prefers to bond over sports games.)
"He's a great father," says Hunter. "He's taught me so much, and he continues to teach me every day. He doesn't act like a celebrity. He's just a family man."
Hunter plans to take all his dad's lessons and continue growing his solo career. "I really want to start doing my own TV. I want to get into that realm of walking outside of my dad's shadow," he says. "We're working our way towards that. I'm excited that the ball is rolling, and it's getting bigger.
Paper Crane Productions Launches 'So, How'd You Get Here?' Podcast, Providing Listeners an Inside Look at Industry Come Ups
DEBUT EPISODE FEATURES ACTOR/COMEDIAN DANA CARVEY
LOS ANGELES, April 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Paper Crane Productions announced the launch of the "So, How'd You Get Here?" podcast with hosts Tony DeFrancesco and Angelo Restaino. The podcast launched with their first guest, actor/comedian Dana Carvey, and focuses on the come-up stories of industry talent, executives, and leaders.
The team behind the podcast includes DeFrancesco and Restaino, on-air talent and producers; Ryan Cheevers, producer and digital developer; Robin Pabello, cinematographer; and Samuel Lin, colorist.
"So, How'd You Get Here?" features A-list guests and other industry professionals, who hustled their way to becoming experts within the entertainment business: both in front and behind the camera. Set in one of the most unique studios in L.A., DeFrancesco and Restaino spend most of the hour-plus show building conversations around one simple question, "so, how did you get here?" The rest of the time is left for hilarious, over-the-top, and often touching and inspiring stories.
"We wanted to create a show that was both entertaining and intimate. Dialoguing with guests about the storms they've weathered requires a deliberately slower pace. Our first guest, Dana Carvey, told us he wasn't really sure he was going to make it. It took more than a decade of struggle and rejection before he finally broke through, and that's what we're here to talk about," said Restaino, On-Air Talent/Producer.
The lineup includes:
Dana Carvey (Actor/Comedian)
Claudia Lyon (Executive VP of Talent & Casting at CBS)
Tim Bagley (Actor/Comedian)
Michelle Lovitt (Celebrity Personal Trainer)
Keo Motsepe (Professional Dancer, "Dancing with the Stars")
Todd Tucker & Martin Astles (SFX/Makeup Artists)
Episodes drop every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. PST.
To listen, visit www.papercranefilms.com/podcast.
Also available on iTunes, Spotify, and Youtube.
ABOUT PAPER CRANE PRODUCTIONS:
Paper Crane Productions is a privately financed, LA-based, film, television, and web series company made up of three creative partners - Ryan Cheevers, Tony DeFrancesco, Angelo Restaino - with unique life experiences and a commitment to quality storytelling. Collaboration is the cornerstone of Paper Crane's development and production process. Visit them at www.papercranefilms.com.
ABOUT ANGELO RESTAINO
Born in a quiet Washington town, Angelo discovered his love for movies at a very young age. In the fall of '04, he landed an internship in the feature production office at 20th Century Fox and discovered a tight-knit group of filmmakers, who were young, talented, and just as broke as everybody else. Yet it was through these intimate relationships that he found success. As he continues to create the future, Angelo hopes that the Paper Crane team strives to produce stories that are not only entertaining and compelling but also significant.
ABOUT TONY DEFRANCESCO
Raised in a small Connecticut town just outside of New Haven. Tony's dream was to make a living in front of the camera, however, through his experience and a well-rounded arsenal of skills have made him a prolific, up-and-coming producer behind the camera. His unique ability to cultivate and keep relationships with every person he comes in contact with has created opportunities that steer this company into an unpredictable and exciting future.