By Ashley M. Casey
Associate Editor
Viewers of “Guy’s Grocery Games” will recognize a few familiar faces on the episode of the cooking competition airing May 1. DeAnna Germano, Mark Germano and Jason Jessmore, owners of The Chef and The Cook in Baldwinsville, are set to appear on the show next Wednesday.
The appearance has been in the works for several months. The Chef and The Cook, which opened in May 2018, features a dual menu made up of “the chef’s” innovative creations and the more traditional selections from “the cook.”
“The Food Network reached out to us looking for the best chef trios,” DeAnna Germano told the Messenger. “We opened in May of last year and they called us in August.”
“Guy’s Grocery Games” is hosted by Food Network personality Guy Fieri, known for his flamboyant style and his show “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” Contestants compete in three 30-minute rounds to track down ingredients in Guy’s Flavortown Market grocery store and whip up a meal. Some of the zany challenges include bowling with melons to determine ingredients (marked on soda bottle “pins”), reducing the time constraint to a 15-minute “lunch rush” or having to use kiddie-size grocery carts.
Despite his goofy TV persona, Fieri is an “amazing person” with a real passion for cuisine, Germano said.
“He’s much more ‘chef’ than I expected him to be,” she said, adding, “As soon as they say action he turns into that personality. He turns it on and off.”
Given the vast possibilities of challenges, it was hard to prepare for “Guy’s Grocery Games.” Germano said the show is “more fun-based than competition-based,” so her team discussed loose ideas of what they wanted to cook and tried to strategize. Jessmore began watching the show upon learning the crew had been invited to compete, but the Germanos were already familiar with the show.
“Mark and I have watched the show for a few years because our daughter loves cooking competitions,” Germano said.
Only a fraction of what is filmed makes it to the final cut of an episode of “Guy’s Grocery Games.”
“It was way more than you’d ever thinking watching the show. It’s an hour-long show … but really it’s an eight to 12-hour day filming,” Germano said. “It’s very taxing and tiring.”
Jessmore and the Germanos faced off against two other trios of chefs from At the Table BYOB, located in Philadelphia, and One Bistro, which is just outside of Boston. Germano said she and her partners found lifelong friends in their competitors.
“It’s nice to have those people in our back pocket to bounce ideas off of,” she said. “We text all the time. It’s nice to know chefs in other cities and know what’s going on with their food culture.”
While they’re miles apart, the three teams will reunite via Skype to watch the premiere of their episode. The Chef and The Cook will host a viewing party from 6 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, at the restaurant, located at 7 Syracuse St. in the village of Baldwinsville.
“We literally just want to throw a big ol’ party for B’ville to come and celebrate,” Germano said. “We don’t get an opportunity to enjoy our restaurant very much because we’re always working, working, so it’ll be nice to get an opportunity to relax and enjoy it with the town.”
As the show plays on large screens inside and outside the restaurant, guests can enjoy hors d’oeuvres, a cash bar, selfie booth and giveaways from local businesses. Buried Acorn Brewing, IBU Brewing and MS Walker will offer samples of beer and wine, and guests can shop the Fashion Rescue 911 boutique truck. Among the raffle prizes are an overnight stay at The Red Mill Inn and a premium photo booth package from Edges Photography.
Tune into “Guy’s Grocery Games” at 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, on the Food Network.
