A Morris County restaurant got the stamp of approval from the mayor of Flavortown himself when celebrity restaurateur Guy Fieri paid a visit Monday night.
Fieri, best known as the host of Food Network shows “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” and “Guy’s Grocery Games,” stopped in to Sushi Lounge at the restaurant’s new location on Speedwell Avenue in Morristown. Social media posts showed Fieri as he posed for photos in the dining area and with employees in the kitchen.
“Guy Fieri, thank you for choosing to dine with us and for your gracious treatment of our staff,” the restaurant wrote on Facebook. “Your patronage is appreciated.”
Fieri visited Sushi Lounge with a friend who is a regular customer, said Mike Fetherston, a co-owner of the restaurant and the neighboring Parkside Tavern. The friend called to request a table in a quieter area because a celebrity would be attending, but did not say who the mystery person was.
Employees did their best to keep Fieri’s visit as lowkey as possible, Fetherston said. But the television star’s distinctive features, including his signature spiky blond hair and goatee, quickly stood out to other diners upon his arrival.
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“Guy Fieri is one of those kinds of characters,” Fetherston said. “As soon as as he walked in, everybody recognized him.”
Fetherston said Fieri was in the area shooting cameo scenes for “Happy Gilmore 2,” the sequel to the 1996 Adam Sandler movie that has been filming throughout North Jersey in the summer and fall. Sandler was even spotted at a Morristown coffee shop last month, possibly in the middle of scouting other filming locations.
Fieri ordered plenty of food during his visit to Sushi Lounge Monday and enjoyed it all, Fetherston said. He particularly loved the wagyu beef sushi, calling it “fire” in his review to employees.
Fetherston described Fieri as a “down-to-earth” customer who was happy to take photos throughout the night. He also requested to see the kitchen and discussed the culinary business with Sushi Lounge owners, including the restaurant’s recent move.
The night was especially meaningful for the Sushi Lounge chef, who idolized Fieri and “started going crazy” when he found out about his visit, Fetherston said. Otherwise, the staff did its best to treat Fieri like any other patron in the restaurant.
“We wanted to let him be and not bother him,” Fetherston said.
Sushi Lounge moved over the summer from its former location on Schuyler Place to Headquarters Plaza next to Parkside Tavern. The restaurant held its official grand reopening at the new spot Oct. 16.
