The Very First Meal Guy Fieri Ever Served His Son Was A Big Risk That Paid Off

Guy Fieri's endearing combination of a homespun yet fiery personality and trademark spiky white hair practically jumped off the screen from episode one of "Next Food Network Star. Combined with unique catchphrases like "Welcome to Flavortown," he catapulted himself to fame, including an empire of restaurants, cookbooks, television shows like "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives," and even a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In an interview with Robert Irvine Magazine, Fieri shared some key insights into his approach to cooking and life, which are anchored by the best piece of cooking advice he ever received. Fieri explained, "I think that the best advice that I ever got was from my dad. He said, 'Don't be scared. Don't make everything crazy, don't cook everything off the radar, but be willing to take chances. Be willing to try new stuff.'" He put this advice to the test in his own family with the first meal he ever served his son Ryder, saying, "I fed him curry."

By making curry as a first dish for his son Ryder, Guy Fieri put his money where his mouth is. "I told my wife before everybody sat down to dinner, 'Don't say a thing about this. Don't say a word about what he's getting ready to eat.' ... He ate it, and now this kid's the biggest curry fan in the world." Fieri's point is we should put away our prejudices when we eat; the close-held beliefs you have about food, and the way you interact with and enjoy it, are part of what you are passing on to your kids.

Guy Fieri is a firm believer in experimenting with food and trying new things, and he credits that outlook with his success. He encourages his family and others to be authentic (it's why he turned down Food Network so many times), do what they love, and not get caught up in someone else's version of success (or, in this case, become stuck to the idea of always eating the same familiar things). It has certainly served him well and speaks to making all of us a bit more flexible with our food and life choices.

Fieri may certainly be onto something with his encouragement of adventurous eating. In a 2015 study conducted by Aston and Loughborough universities in the U.K., children were encouraged to try new foods, in this case vegetables, using an encouragement approach called the three R's — role modeling, repetition, and rewards. Children in the study observed a parent modeling eating the vegetable. It was served for consecutive days, and the kids were praised for trying it. Over the course of the study, the children who followed this approach chose to eat significantly more of the vegetables on their own. 

This thinking can be applied to all foods, and the researchers were quick to point out that eating patterns formed in childhood directly link to adult eating behaviors. Bottom line, Fieri's advice to approach food openly can set kids up for a lifetime of healthy food exploration and appreciation. Give them a dish like curry, dig into it yourself without making a big deal, praise them for trying it, and make sure it appears on the table again.