Guy Fieri fed hundreds of New Jersey veterans in Middletown, NJ
MIDDLETOWN — Guy Fieri’s most recent visit to New Jersey was not to a diner, drive-in or dive — but to feed a few hundred military veterans as part of the celebrity chef’s charitable efforts.
Fieri and his team cooked meals for the crowd of 400 veterans and other guests at VFW Post 2179 Port Monmouth on Friday.
As part of the Guy Fieri Foundation’s “Honoring Heroes Event” series, the afternoon was attended by VFW members and other veterans, first responders and their families.
“What an awesome experience. It is not everyday you can say that you pumped out 700lbs of pulled pork! Thank you to Guy Fieri Foundation for honoring all of our veterans and Guy Fieri for making this all possible,” local chef, Steve Mago wrote on Facebook, along with photos from the memorable day.
Monmouth County Commissioner Director Tom Arnone, Deputy Director Sue Kiley and Commissioner Ross Licitra helped serve up the food, as seen on the county’s Twitter feed.
VFW Junior Vice Commander Duane Sarmiento also presented Fieri with a personalized VFW shirt to commemorate the occasion.
And, the food didn't stop, there.
Video clips posted to the Guy Fieri Foundation Twitter feed shows meal prep in Manville on Saturday, for roughly 200 veterans who couldn't make it to the event a day earlier.
A round of meals also was delivered to veterans living in Tinton Falls, according to the foundation.
“We envision a world where our communities are supported and our heroes are celebrated,” the Guy Fieri Foundation website reads.
Its mission statement is to use “Food, Cooking and Education to Support, Uplift, and Encourage our Communities.”
It turns out that Fieri might have even squeezed in the chance to scout out a couple more potential Jersey contenders for his mega-popular TV show, "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives."
Erin Vogt is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach her at erin.vogt@townsquaremedia.com
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