Celebrity Chef Guy Fieri Trades His Annual Maui Vacation For A Fundraiser

Celebrity chef Guy Fieri is known for his big heart as well as his multiple shows on the Food Network.

One of the highest-paid celebrity chefs on television hosted a "Chefs for Maui" fundraiser dinner on Saturday in order to raise over $1.5 million for the Hawaii Restaurant Association and The Salvation Army Hawaiian and Pacific Islands Division following the wildfires that swept through Maui in August.

Guy Fieri and 38 of his close friends all pitched it for a "Chefs for Maui" fundraiser, which was hosted at a private estate in Sonoma County, California. During the event, the "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" star, along with his friends, hosted an 18-course dinner that served everything from porcini mushrooms to kanpachi poke, as per People magazine. "Yellowstone" creator Taylor Sheridan's 6666 Ranch even provided 3.5-pound tomahawk steaks for the occasion.

Sheridan actually grilled a few steaks alongside the "Guy's Grocery Games" host. Rock band Portugal the Man performed at the event, Marc Summers performed as the MC, and Franco Finn auctioned off items assembled by Guy Fieri's wife Lori and her friends. Donated items included a trip to the "Yellowstone" set, a Ryvid motorcycle, and a dinner for a group of ten anywhere in the world, courtesy of Stephanie Izard, Joe Sasto, and Shota Nakajima.

As to why he decided to host the event, Guy Fieri told People magazine that his gesture was like a "hug" saying, "It's like, 'Hey, you brothers and sisters in the business, we understand you. We appreciate you. We know you're hurting.' That's what this is." Even though he usually takes a trip to Maui with his family this year, he decided to host the fundraiser instead.

“I’ve shot over 16 locations in Maui for my shows, and I travel to Maui with my family year after year for vacation. It is such a special place, and what makes it special are the people," he told the magazine back in August. "To think of those people that love their island, and love their families, and make visitors feel welcome, we need to stop what we’re doing and do what we can to help them.”

According to the outlet, around 80 restaurants burned down in the area of Lahaina, on Maui. With $2,500 tickets to the event, along with the live and silent auctions, Guy Fieri's "Chefs For Maui" event went a long way to help displaced residents of the island. As soon as he heard about how many restaurants had been destroyed by the blazer, the Food Network star said he got the idea to host the event through his Guy Fieri Foundation.

He said he texted about fifty friends with his idea and described the response as "a slot machine" going off. "I'm in, I'm in. I'll be there. I'll be there," he said of the response he got to his fundraising idea. "Not one person blinked when I asked them to help or be involved." A few culinary legends involved in the event were Brooke Williamson, Kelsey Barnard Clark, Mei Lin, and Antonia Lofaso.

"I don't think there's ever been a collective of this many chefs to this few people, with this many courses for this dire of a need at one time," Guy said before the event began. "I think it's going to be one of the most sensational events to ever happen in the food world."

"I'm at this point in my life now where my greatest goal is what I can do with what I have for others," Guy added.

During a separate interview with People magazine, Guy's sons Hunter and Ryder praised their father for establishing himself as a force for good. "He's always leading by example," 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."

He recalled how Guy launched the Restaurant Employee Relief Fund while restaurants were closing down during the COVID-19 pandemic. It ultimately raised over $25 million to help struggling workers in the industry.

"If you're the guy that owns the shovel, why wouldn't you help dig the hole?" Fieri said of his philanthropy. "I want to make a positive impact. When it's all over, I just hope people say, 'Guy was good for mankind. Guy helped.' "

The Guy Fieri Foundation is still accepting donations for Maui relief efforts on its website.