Guy Fieri’s North Loop Visit To Guacaya Bistreaux Airing Nov 15th
The chef/owner of Guacaya Bistreaux, Pedro Wolcott, admits being a little starstruck when Food Network star Guy Fieri brought a film crew into his kitchen a couple months ago to record a new episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
“My adrenaline was really high,” he said. “It feels surreal, it’s like unreal to me and the staff because we’re really fans of his.”
Fieri’s show will no doubt create a lot of new fans for Pedro’s Caribbean restaurant when it airs on Friday, November 15th at 8pm.
“We made our jerk chicken,” he said, “and then our beef skewers–or Carne en Palitos–which is a Panamanian dish that I love from my childhood and Carnival season.”
Pedro Wolcott
Guacaya Bistreaux is one of six Twin Cities restaurants that Fieri visited in August–all of them small, individually-owned places. Pedro appreciates the fact that the show puts such a big spotlight on small restaurants.
“We don’t have a lot of investors, it’s just me and my wife and my mom’s here greeting guests,” he said. “Guy told me, ‘you have such a unique menu, like nothing else in the entire North Loop. You’re like an underdog, you have this amazing cuisine but people don’t know about it and we’re here to help you.’”
Pedro is planning a free viewing party for the community to watch together as it airs on the 15th. The owner of Glass House near the Farmers Market is donating space for the event. There will be $5 food samples as well as cocktails and other beverages for sale.
“We’ve really been working hard and we’re such a unique concept. Caribbean restaurant out of nowhere,” Pedro said. “This is the kind of PR that you can’t buy. This is the pinnacle.”
You’ll find Guacaya Bistreaux next to the Washington Avenue bridge at 337 Washington Avenue North.
By Mike Binkley, North Loop volunteer